Thomas Christiansen has already “made a decision” on Giuseppe Bellusci

After spending last year on loan at Empoli in Serie A, most Leeds United fans assumed that Giuseppe Bellusci’s time at Elland Road had already come to an end. The defender had alienated most fans with his attitude and poor play during his time at Elland Road, and it looked for the best that the player move on to another opportunity. In fact, it was widely assumed that Empoli would make the deal for Bellusci permanent at the end of the season.

And then Empoli were relegated from Serie A.

All of a sudden, Bellusci’s permanent move back to Italy had collapsed, and despite the club and the player’s efforts, he headed back for training and started another season at Leeds United.

After a poor showing during the first preseason match, where Bellusci allowed a Harrogate Town forward to get behind him and get a clear breakaway for a goal, Bellusci was booed and was, ahem, “criticized” by a section Leeds fans at yesterday’s preseason match at Guiseley. And, since Bellusci can’t leave well enough alone, he tweeted out trash talk to the fans that booed him.

It is far past time for Bellusci to head to a different club, and perhaps he has already worn out his welcome with this coaching staff. New Leeds boss Thomas Christiansen was quoted by The Yorkshire Evening Post saying that “We have taken already our decision (on Bellusci) but I don’t want to come out now saying what we will do. You will see it through the week.”

Not gonna lie to you. If the decision to is to keep him at the club, there may well be a riot. Smoke bombs, flares, pitch invasions, everything. While Christiansen may not want to tip his hat on any decision about him, it should be obvious that Bellusci’s time at Elland Road should have been over with when he went out on loan last year. The club gave him an extra week to find a new club in Italy, but deals fell through. At this point it would be best for the club and the player to move on, even if it means that Leeds don’t get nearly as good a deal as they would have liked. He doesn’t want to be here, the fans don’t want him here, the club doesn’t seem to want him here, and his play suffers because of it. Set him free, TC, set him free.