Manager says Leeds United player has ‘a lot of things’ to work on after Elland Road loan exit

Liam Cooper, Cody Drameh and Ian Poveda left with expiring contracts but have yet to find a new club. Meanwhile, Jamie Shackleton and Lew Bate have joined Sheffield United and Stockport on free agents.

Then four players were loaned out. Darko Gyabi returned to Plymouth, while Sam Greenwood also joined a Championship side at Preston. Jack Harrison returns to Everton for his second campaign.

The manager says he is working on the Leeds United loan

Another loanee is Sonny Perkins, with the 20-year-old returning to boyhood club Leyton Orient ahead of next season’s League One campaign. Perkins started well, scoring in a friendly.

Orient faced non-league Hornchurch and despite being forced to wait until the 37th minute to score, they won 7–0. Perkins managed his side’s second, scoring from close range with a neat finish.

But manager Richie Wellens knows Perkins is not the finished article and spoke to Orient’s website after the win, stressing there is plenty of work to be done with the Leeds United striker.

“Obviously I watched Sonny a lot. He played as a center forward for West Ham. Very good in and around the six yard box, penalty spot. It’s got a lot of things we can work on, a lot of things we can improve on.”

Make or break for Perkins next season if he wants his Leeds future

Former West Ham striker Perkins has so far failed at Leeds. Bought from West Ham after making senior appearances for the Hammers, he was expected to knock on the first-team door straight away.

But he managed just four senior outings in two years, even after his goal against Cardiff City in the FA Cup. Relegation to the Championship might have helped a few young players, but Perkins was not one.

Instead, he struggled on loan at Oxford in the early part of last season and returned to Leeds, unable to get out on loan again. If he is to have a future at Leeds, he simply needs to light it up in the Orient in 2024-25.

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