“You got this” - Pascal Struijk breaks silence after Leeds United injury blow | OneFootball

Leeds United centre-back Pascal Struijk has backed his teammates to finish the job and win promotion after he was ruled out for the rest of the season.

Pascal Struijk injury latest

The 24-year-old had established himself as a real leader in defence for Daniel Farke, and he enjoyed a brilliant first half of the campaign.

However, Struijk hasn’t played since the Boxing Day defeat to Preston due to a groin problem, and it was announced today that he has now had successful surgery to solve the issue, which means he will not play again this season.

Pascal Strujk sends Leeds United message

Naturally, that’s a big setback for the player and the team, as Struijk has proven himself to be a very reliable performer at this level.

But, he will be watching on for the final eight games, and the player sent a message on social media after the news.

“This week I’ve had successful surgery on my injury. I’m disappointed because I can’t lead my team to the finish line now we’re in such a good position. I’ll work hard to get to my full strength, until then I will support the squad from the sidelines. You got this, boys.”

Whilst this is obviously a blow, as some would argue that Struijk is one of the best in the league in his position, the reality is that Leeds have coped very well without him in the past few months.

Ethan Ampdau has dropped into central defence to partner Joe Rodon, and the Welsh duo have been formidable at the back, giving the Whites the solid foundations they need.

In the 14 league games since Struijk last featured, Farke’s men have conceded just four goals, keeping ten sheets in the process. There had been fears that Ampadu moving out of midfield would impact the team, but it hasn’t, and Leeds are currently top of the table with eight games to play.

Pascal Struijk will have a big role to play moving forward

It will be hugely frustrating for Struijk to be watching on during the final months of the campaign, but the good news is that he should be back for pre-season.

So, Struijk will hope his next appearance in a white shirt is as a Premier League player, and even though he hasn’t helped the team in the run-in, Struijk could still be a key figure for the side in the top-flight.

He has plenty of experience at that level, and he brings a real balance to the team with his ability to play out from the back with his left foot.

If Leeds do fall short this season, it could be that Struijk moves on in the summer, as he had been linked with a surprise switch to PSG prior to his injury, which gives an indication of how highly-rated he is within the game.

Leeds are back in action on Good Friday when they make the trip to Watford for the late game of the day.