After a solitary season with debt-ridden FC Twente, captain Mateusz Klich earnt a move to English Championship side Leeds United. So, what can fans expect to see from the Poland international?
- By Michael Statham
- Follow Michael on Twitter @EredivisieMike
At 27, supporters shouldn’t expect to see any development out of Klich. However, the midfielder has established himself in the Eredivisie thanks to his offensive and battling capabilities.
Klich is also a cool head when it comes to penalties, having netted all six of his goals last season from the spot. The Pole often elects to nonchalantly stroke home from dead ball situations, including a last minute winner over Ajax, conveying his almost indifference to the end result.
The midfielder’s career began with Cracovia in his native homeland, enticing Germans Wolfsburg to gain his signature in 2011. Unfortunately, Klich was rooted in the reserve team and was eventually loaned out to fellow Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle 18 months after joining.
Then manager Ron Jans was persuaded to permanently sign Klich at the end of that season, following 2 goals in 13 lively appearances. It turned out to be one of Jans’s masterstrokes, as Klich returned four goals in 30 games as well as a role in Zwolle’s 5-1 demolition of Ajax in the KNVB Cup final.
Bad news arrived that summer though, when Wolfsburg green-lighted their repurchase option on Klich, and another 6 months of no football followed, until 2. Bundesliga side Kaiserslautern snapped up the midfielder.
The 11-time capped Poland international was again struggling to get games in Germany, with little more than twenty matches to show over a season and a half, and struggled to show the form that helped select Klich for his country.
The Eredivisie offered another way back for Klich though, when financially insecure Twente required a captain to add impetus to a midfield recently stripped of quality.
Klich’s known for being an all action midfielder, able to play in both the ‘8 role’ or the more offensive ’10’. His accurate and tidy style is obvious in his simple passing game, neat through balls (often his source of assists) and calm penalties. Nevetheless, the man can battle, and his strength and decent tackling ability will be vital in a rough and ready Championship, playing for a club carrying as big a name as Leeds United.
Roda JC left-back Ard van Peppen has been linked with the Whites too, and also possesses important qualities to lead a battle to promotion in the Championship.
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Writer/interviewer/YouTuber for Football-Oranje. Massive Dutch football fan from the UK. Follow me @EredivisieMike & subscribe to Football-Oranje on YouTube.
