STUNNING NEWS: Another Star Made The List Of Leeds United Squad

AFC Bournemouth midfielder Joe Rothwell has joined Leeds United on loan for the duration of the 2024/25 Championship campaign.

The 29-year-old midfielder has moved to Leeds to aid in their pursuit of promotion, a task they failed to achieve last season, losing in the play-offs to Southampton, where Rothwell had spent last season on loan.

Rothwell made the move to AFC Bournemouth in June 2022, signing for the Cherries on a free transfer from Blackburn Rovers, Rothwell, who represented England at Under 16’s, 17’s, 19’s and 20’s having previously come through the youth academy at Manchester United had signed a four-year deal at Dean Court.

For Blackburn Rovers he had made 99 Championship starts and added a further 50 appearances as a substitute, scoring 10 goals and claiming 18 assists during a four-season stint.

At AFC Bournemouth he has made 35 appearances in all competitions, 23 of those appearances have come in the Premier League.

However, only 3 of those have come since the appointment of AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola.

With competition from Ryan Christie, Lewis Cook, Philip Billing, Alex Scott and Tyler Adams, AFC Bournemouth have a fair few options in the centre of midfield, with Rothwell seemingly dropping further and further down the pecking order under Iraola.

Last season, as mentioned above, Rothwell joined Southampton on loan making 20 appearances in all competitions, scoring 4 goals. However, he only made 4 league starts for Southampton on route to winning promotion at Wembley via the play-offs.

Speaking to Leeds United’s official website, Rothwell said…

“It’s unbelievable, as soon as I heard of the interest, it was something I was desperate to make happen and thankfully we’ve managed to do it quite quickly, so I can’t wait to get going now.

“I don’t think Leeds United needs selling to anyone to be honest, it is a huge football club.

“The club were a bit unlucky last year, but the aim is one thing and that is to to get back to the Premier League, so I want to come here, add a bit of experience and help the team do that.

“When you think of Leeds, you think of the fans and I’ve had a few experiences of playing at Elland Road before and it’s the first time I’ve felt a stadium vibrate before when a goal went in, so it will be nice to be on the right side of the fans this time, instead of the wrong side.

“I had a good few conversations with the manager, he spoke so highly of the place and what brought him here and that made me want to come even more and there is only one aim this season and that is to get back to the Premier League.”

Your say…

When he came to us from Blackburn Rovers, Joe Rothwell and his fiancee wanted to move South.

He has started 15 games for AFCB in the Premier League and then went on loan to Saints last season which wasn’t far from our area.

Now he is heading back North again.