A player that left Leeds United during Marcelo Bielsa’s era as manager back in 2019 has just confirmed he has become a free agent with his contract due to expire in June.
Bielsa arrived at Elland Road in the summer of 2018 in one of Victor Orta’s best moves while he was in charge of transfers and appointing of managers as the club’s director of football under Andrea Radrzzani.
The Argentine had never managed before in England and could not speak English. But Orta, Radrizzani, Angus Kinnear and Carlos Corberan flew out to Argentina and got a deal done to hire the manager.
It culminated in Leeds finishing in the play-offs in his first season, and then winning the Championship a season later. Bielsa became a Leeds legend for it, even more so for guiding Leeds to ninth in the top tier.
But after just one season, Bielsa had to wave goodbye to Kemar Roofe despite the strike scoring 15 goals under the Argentine in Bielsa’s first season. Roofe moved to Anderlecht under Vincent Kompany for £7m.
Now, five years after his Elland Road exit, 31-year-old Roofe has confirmed he is now a free agent with a post on his Instagram and here is what he said below:
Kemar Roofe becomes free agent five years after Leeds exit
Versatile ace Roofe joined Leeds from Oxford United under Garry Monk for a fee of £3m in the summer of 2016 and went on to play 122 times for The Whites in all competitions, having a hand in 47 goals.
But he truly came alive under the guidance of Bielsa and following his move to Anderlecht three years after his arrival, Bielsa admitted that he was “not happy” at the exit with his Leeds deal ending in 2020.
Roofe has since been at Scottish side Rangers but on Tuesday night, the forward played his last game at Ibrox and took to Instagram after the game to confirm he would be leaving when his deal ends in June.
His caption read: “IBROX it’s been a pleasure… thanks for having me.”
How Roofe has fared since leaving Leeds to join Anderlecht
Roofe moved to Belgium largely because Leeds chose to cash in on the striker rather than losing him on a free a year later. Injuries kicked in and he could only manage 16 outings, in which he scored seven goals.
Steven Gerrard took him to Rangers for around half of the fee Leeds raked in for him in 2020 and over the last four years he has won the Premiership title and even reached the final of the Europa League.
On Tuesday night, he clocked up his 102nd outing with injury limiting him once again. He came on for the last 10 minutes of a 5-2 win over Dundee but could not add to his 38 goals for the Old Firm giants.
Now, Roofe will be a free agent this summer and will have to find himself a new club, one that are willing to look past his injury record. It is unclear if he will return to England or remain abroad.