When Leeds secured the loan signing of Pierre-Michel Lasogga the day before transfer deadline day, it was seen as a major coup for the Championship outfit. Life in England’s second-tier started well for the German as he found the net twice on his debut against Burton Albion. The frequency of goals has dried up a bit and as of January, the burly center-forward has scored five in 14 games overall but crucially adding four assists.
The second half of the Championship season could be one of the most important times in Lasogga’s career say football tipsters. His parent club Hamburg are reeling in the Bundesliga and currently lie second from bottom in 17th position. Two points adrift and with only one win in their last five games their survival in Germany’s top flight is without a doubt in jeopardy.
Relegation would be unthinkable but the fact remains it is now becoming a possibility with Hamburg’s odds of relegation at 13/8 in Bundesliga betting. Lasogga will be very aware of what is going on at Hamburg and is faced with an uncertain future should Leeds falter in their ambitions to make the playoffs and his parent club be relegated. Neither of those two scenarios will help his career and could lead to a setback that stalls his progress.
At one stage it looked like Lasogga may make the final squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil before injury ruled him out. His career has dwindled since then and subsequently, he hasn’t been able to win an international cap for Germany despite being on the fringes as a young man four years ago.
This makes the next four months of the season vital for Lasogga if he is to begin changing the narrative of his career that has started to write itself. Leeds United’s stay outside of the Premier League has been well documented. The West Yorkshire side has underachieved for many seasons and been plagued by maladministration by owners who care very little for the wellbeing of the team or the city of Leeds.
Since Andrea Radrizzani took over from the controversial Massimo Cellino the club has steadied itself. Radrizzani has given the Whites stability both financially and in the dressing room. The Italian Radrizzani has made key appointments that have helped Leeds put together a strong start to the first half of the Championship season.
Pierre-Michel Lasogga could prove to be a vital part of the Leeds plans still and be remembered as one of the additions that finally took Leeds back to where they rightfully belong. If Lasogga is able to break through and show the class that had him once revered in Germany then he will have the ball in the back of the net many times before the season is up.
With proceedings looking gloomy on the home front for Lasogga in Germany there is a reason to believe that promotion with Leeds will save his career rather than go back to a Hamburg side that has possibly just been relegated. A prolific goal return from now until the end of the season will help secure him a permanent move to Leeds and could give the Elland Road faithful exactly what they crave.
