The boss of one of Leeds United’s key Championship rivals has explained the absence of a star man but made an honest admission on the transfers front.
Winger Harvey Barnes is long-odds on to leave Championship favourites Leicester City for Newcastle United and the 25-year-old was missing from Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Northampton Town at Sixfields.
Barnes also missed Tuesday’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Peterborough United but new Foxes boss Enzo Maresca says Barnes has been absent due to a “small problem” and that the winger is “fine” three weeks ahead of the new campaign.
Maresca, though, has also admitted that “anything can happen” on the transfers front, fresh from the Foxes already losing James Maddison to Tottenham Hotspur.
“Harvey had some problems in the last days and the reason he was not here was for that,” said Maresca to Leicestershire Live after Saturday’s 1-0 victory for his side.
“As I said in my first press conference, the market is open and so anything can happen – for us and against us. At the moment Harvey is our player and he has been training with us. In the last few days he did not train because he has a small problem but he is fine. We will see what happens in the future.
“I don’t know about the value. I just judge the player and he is our player and has been doing sessions every day with us. He has been very good until he picked up a small problem. He was only able to return to training yesterday with us and that is why he was not here today. What happens in the future I do not know.”
Barnes has a brilliant record against Leeds, netting six goals against the Whites from his eight appearances against them with either Leicester or West Brom. The 25-year-old winger has only been on the losing side against Leeds twice.
