Pascal Struijk has responded after a player still on Leeds United’s books was given a surprise call-up to Euro 2024 by his nation, with his last cap coming back in 2021.
Leeds still have many senior players on the books but not in the building at Elland Road after Victor Orta included clauses that allowed a number of stars to leave on loan, without Leeds being able to reject it.
It saw Rasmus Kristensen and Diego Llorente go to Roma while Max Wober, Robin Koch and Brenden Aaronson move to Germany. Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra secured returns to the Premier League.
Marc Roca went back to Spain with Real Betis and since those loans were organised last summer, both Sinisterra and Koch have agreed permanent moves to their loan sides in Bournemouth and Frankfurt.
Koch has been in sensational form for Frankfurt both in Germany and in Europe, playing 41 times and scoring goals. The defender has even captained Frankfurt on three occasions despite only being on loan.
He has agreed a permanent move until the summer of 2028 when his contract expires at Elland Road in the summer and on Tuesday, an announcement was made regarding the central defender.
Robin Koch included in Germany National Team for Euro 2024
Reports in Germany had confirmed that Koch would indeed be a part of Germany’s Euro 2024 squad after Julian Nagelsmann called-up Koch in March, though he was unused against The Netherlands and France.
Koch’s last cap came back in 2021, while at Leeds but after injuries and a lack of momentum followed by relegation he lost his place. But after a superb season at Frankfurt, Koch is back in the Germany squad.
Germany have announced Manuel Neuer, Jonathan Tah and Max Mittelstadt will be in the squad on their Instagram as well as Koch. The defender himself then took to Instagram to underline his delight.
His caption read: “Huge anticipation and incredibly proud to be in the squad at our home European Championship! I will go ALL IN! Here we go!
Koch’s three years at Leeds in numbers and Struijk’s reaction
Koch joined Leeds for £11.5m from Freiburg the summer after Marcelo Bielsa had guided The Whites to promotion from The Championship, ending a 16-year wait for Premier League football at Elland Road.
But he managed just 77 appearances for Leeds in three seasons, and just 17 in his first season due to surgery on his hip. More injury issues limited him to only 21 appearances in his second season.
His best season came the year in which Leeds were relegated, playing more times than in his first two season at Leeds combined with 39. Pascal Struijk congratulated Koch’s call-up on his Instagram post.
