Leeds United Star Still Has ‘Massive Incentive’ – Ex-Boss Sees Reason To Perform
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Former Leeds United manager Simon Grayson has praised Anton Stach for underlining his worth since joining, saying he has already justified his fee, while stressing the midfielder has a key incentive over the final three games to stake a claim for a World Cup spot.
Summer signing Stach has proved a transformative addition this season, arriving on a four-year deal from Hoffenheim to some frustration from fans in Germany and quickly establishing himself as a mainstay in the Whites’ midfield.
The defensive midfielder has made 32 appearances this season, registering eight goal involvements, a run of form that earned him a Germany team call-up from Julian Nagelsmann last month, with Stach later acknowledging his club manager’s role in the recognition.
During international duty, however, he was limited to just ten minutes in a 4-3 win over Switzerland and did not feature in the subsequent match against Ghana.
Leeds’ 3-1 victory over Burnley moved them onto 43 points, leaving them within touching distance of Premier League safety, with even a single point now enough to guarantee survival.
Grayson praised the 27-year-old for consistently displaying the qualities that justified his signing and investment, while stressing the importance of the run-in.
With three Premier League fixtures remaining, he suggested Stach should view the final games as an extended audition to impress Nagelsmann ahead of the World Cup.
The 56-year-old added that the midfielder is highly motivated to maintain his level, with a real chance of fulfilling his World Cup ambitions.
Grayson said on LUTV (26:22): “But what he’s done is shown the qualities that have attracted him to this football club in the first place, the reason why we paid the money for him.
“He’s got three big games still from now until the end of the season because he’s got to prove to the German manager that he’s good enough to go to the World Cup.
“He’s got massive incentive to play really, really well, and if he continues like he did today and in the games before, he’s got a great chance of fulfilling the dream of every player, going to a World Cup.”
Stach’s driving runs have earned praise from a former Whites star, while a team-mate has gone as far as labelling him the squad’s most clinical finisher.
Leeds make the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 11th May for a high-stakes clash the hosts cannot afford to lose, as they remain locked in a relegation battle, with Roberto De Zerbi cautioning against the threat posed by Daniel Farke’s resurgent side, unbeaten in their last six league outings.
Having been tipped in March by the German tactician as capable of dictating Premier League games, the 27-year-old has continued to justify his £17m valuation in the eyes of Leeds United.
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