Mateusz Klich: Midfielder set for Leeds exit after tearful goodbye

Mateusz Klich given guard of honour at Elland Road — Klich is an extremely popular figure at Leeds having played a pivotal role in their promotion season and early years back in the Premier League

Mateusz Klich is set to leave Leeds and move to a Major League Soccer club in the USA after making a tearful goodbye at Elland Road on Wednesday.

The midfielder has agreed with the Whites for his contract to be cancelled in order to facilitate the deal, with DC United the reported destination.

Klich received a guard of honour from team-mates wearing T-shirts bearing his image after the 2-2 draw with West Ham.

The 32-year-old's substitute appearance was the 194th of his time at Leeds.

He scored 24 goals in those games and was an integral part of the squad managed by Marcelo Bielsa that returned the club to the Premier League in 2019-20, after 16 years outside the top-flight.

In a statement after Wednesday's game, Klich thanked the club, his team-mates and supporters for his time with them, calling it "a dream".

"I wish I could stay, but I have never enjoyed being on the bench and I want to play as much as I can in the coming years and that is why I am closing this chapter. But I will never forget my time in Yorkshire," he added.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch, who was also wearing a T-shirt with Klich's picture on it, said: "This was not a black-and-white decision. It is an opportunity that provides stability for his family and to try something new.

"We have had discussions for the last four or five weeks. It is not finalised yet despite the T-shirts.

"It won't be easy to lose him. We are not absolutely sure it is the right decision but we wish him all the best.

"There is a respect for what he has achieved with us as a team. It is a club decision. We make decisions together but this is done from very different levels.

"He has been offered a longer contract [elsewhere] than he has here. I couldn't promise him he would play as much as he would over there but he would have played. It was an open discussion."

Asked if Leeds would look to replace him during the transfer window, Marsch hinted he would find a solution from the players already in the squad.

"Sam [Greenwood] can be an option," he added. "There are a lot of young guys with potential to step in."

Leeds signed midfielders Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi in the summer.