Leeds United and AFC Bournemouth agreement may be put to the test ahead of January: View | OneFootball

Joe Rothwell's place in the midfield pecking order is likely to determine his success after signing for Leeds United from Bournemouth.

Joe Rothwell's place in the pecking order at Leeds United looks to have already taken a hit after the signing of Ao Tanaka to join Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev as Daniel Farke's options at the base of midfield.

Sky Sports journalist Mark McAdam first broke the news that the Whites were close to completing the signing of the 29-year-old midfielder. That's after he spent the second half of last season on loan at Southampton and has headed out on loan again to gain further game time and to hopefully get two promotions in as many seasons from the second tier.

He will spend the full season at Elland Road to become their third summer signing back in July. Leeds were fairly slow starters when it came to incoming business this summer, but Rothwell is one of the players who has been at the club the longest out of their newest additions.

That is after he has been deemed surplus to requirements at AFC Bournemouth, having signed for them after promotion in 2022 under Scott Parker from Blackburn Rovers. It's fair to say that he excelled with Blackburn during his stint in Lancashire, and that there may well have been plenty of interest in his services this summer, and Leeds moved swiftly to ensure Rothwell’s deal was concluded as quickly as possible.

Joe Rothwell can bring something different to Leeds' midfield

The season-long loan also comes with an option-to-buy for Leeds, according to Adam Pope and others, despite contrasting reports. It sees him secure his immediate future, having been on the fringes at Bournemouth since leaving Blackburn.

On paper, it looks like a sensible move more than anything else, even though he’s taking up a loan spot this season for Farke, albeit quite shrewdly to add cover to a crucial position where Leeds required at least one addition this summer after losing Archie Gray and Glen Kamara's minutes.

The former played at right-back plenty of times, with Jayden Bogle perhaps the direct replacement in that sense, leaving Rothwell and Tanaka to assist Gruev and Ampadu in midfield. It gives Farke a blend of different options and profiles in his double-pivot, with two more advanced 'No.8' options, and two sitting 'No.6' options.

Rothwell managed 17 league appearances and four goals for Southampton as they won promotion. He showed last season that he’s more than capable of being a vital part in a promotion-winning side, whilst his box-crashing and shooting ability is vastly superior to Leeds' other options in central midfield.

He adds much-needed experience in the sense of winning promotion and in pure age terms too, whilst also providing energy and driving runs from deep. Rothwell will provide final third output from the midfield, which was lacking in Leeds' other deeper midfield players last year.

Leeds have one of the best sets of midfielders in the division for 2024/25 — if not the best. That is part of the problem Rothwell has of breaking in and getting regular first-team starts. Given Tanaka's pedigree and reputation himself, there is a good chance that he is seen as the fourth choice midfielder, albeit perhaps the one of the four pivot options that can also play the furthest forward as an advanced midfielder.

That was seen against West Brom at the Hawthorns as a substitute, and late on against Hull City as well. Rothwell's composure and temperament on the ball, as well as his ball-carrying ability, will give Leeds the ability to see out games by exerting control by having three natural central midfielders on the pitch at once.

However, Brenden Aaronson, Willy Gnonto, Largie Ramazani, Joel Piroe, and Manor Solomon can all be deployed in the No.10 role as well. It highlights decent depth in midfield for Leeds, but an issue for Rothwell to try and overcome to break into Farke's plans in a more meaningful way than just the one start in five games in all competitions so far.

Rothwell is an astute addition with the right attitude on paper. He is not the most glamorous signing Leeds will make this summer, but bulking up the squad with floor-raising signings is a must to ensure the Whites have the stamina to go the distance in the title race, with a range of midfield options and different profiles.

He particularly impressed in his cameo appearance against Portsmouth in the first game, and was one of the better players against Middlesbrough despite the manner of the defeat. Rothwell brings more balance to Leeds' midfield pivot than Gruev, but Tanaka is another of Leeds' more exciting signings, who will be expected to start plenty of matches this season.

However, there may be some concerns that the role of being a supporting cast member or substitute is underutilising him, as a man of his talents could expect to start for the majority of Championship teams, which is perhaps how both himself and Bournemouth will see things as well. Should he not be playing regularly enough come January, a situation may well arise where he is seeking a different solution on loan.

It's something for Farke and co. to consider in the next four months prior to January, but Rothwell will hope that he can impress in training and in the substitute minutes he gets in the league. So far, he has played 51 league minutes in four games, and will hope to improve on that in time, despite his chances worsening since Tanaka's signing.

Otherwise, a recall from his parent club, or a new agreement with another Championship club, is likely to be on the cards. Time will only tell with this one, but the early signs were promising with Tanaka, and Ampadu is virtually undroppable as the club-captain.