Insight into Luis Sinisterra after move from Leeds to Bournemouth
CHERRIES added to their squad on transfer deadline day, snapping up Luis Sinisterra on a loan deal from Leeds United.
The 24-year-old is currently away on international duty with Colombia, but could debut when Cherries host Chelsea on September 17.
Where will he fit in, what type of character is he and is he over his inury woes?
We asked Will Jackson, Leeds United reporter for Leeds Live, for some insight.
The move to AFC Bournemouth came very late in the day. Was Luis Sinisterra always likely to leave Leeds this summer?
There was always uncertainty, let’s put it that way. Obviously given his talent he was a player many expected to leave following relegation and Sinisterra took the opportunity to make it clear to the club that he sees himself as a top-flight footballer.
Even though interest seemed to be minimal for much of the window, there was a bit of wrangling surrounding the clauses in his contract which saw him dropped and exiled from first team training for a couple of weeks.
About 10 hours before the deadline Daniel Farke could be heard saying he was confident that he would be able to keep his squad intact, but there was always the fear that a Premier League outfit would come in for Sinisterra and they eventually did.
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How would you sum up Sinisterra’s first season in English football last year?
His first year was difficult, to be honest. The Colombian struggled with injuries throughout the course of the campaign and saw his game time severely limited as a result. That injury record is probably the reason why a top-flight team didn’t come in for him sooner, if I’m honest.
When he was on the pitch, though, he managed to showcase his ability, with a series of stunning strikes.
What is Sinisterra like as a character? He was young when he left his home country to move to Europe with Feyenoord initially, before joining Leeds. Has he settled well in England, does he speak the language etc and did Leeds fans warm to him last season?
He does have a grasp of English. That was something he arrived with and has more than likely improved after spending a year in West Yorkshire. I must say, though, I think it’s been hard for fans to find opportunities to get to grips with him as a person.
For whatever reason he hasn’t done much media, either external or with the club, and given his struggles for fitness, he hasn’t managed to show too much of his personality on the field either.
How would you describe Sinisterra as a player? What sort of position will he best fit in?
He’s dangerous, direct and effective. Sinisterra doesn’t have outrageous pace, but he has the ability to beat a man with his ball control and footwork before cutting in from the wing. When he catches a glimpse of goal, that’s when he comes alive.
The former Feyenoord man bagged seven goals in all competitions last season and most of them were stunners from the edge of the box.
In terms of his position, he’s happy on the right or the left wing. He played both positions last season for Leeds and he has found success on the left this time around, with a goal coming in his last appearance at Ipswich.
Many Leeds fans seem to have turned on Sinisterra recently. Should Cherries not sign him permanently, could there be a way back for him there next summer, or do you think his time at Elland Road is done?
The manner of his Leeds exit has certainly left a sour taste. I don’t think he’s a bad apple, I just think the whole process of his long-winded exit was pretty unfavourable.
Whether he has a future at Leeds might depend on their success this season. Win promotion back to the Premier League and the club may well be looking at Sinisterra as someone they can reintegrate. I’d find that hard to imagine if they remained a Championship club.
His injury record has been much spoken about. How much football has he played recently and how fit is he at the moment?
He’s been in and out of the side this season due to the aforementioned wrangling over his contract and his desire to leave the club. But, he’s fit. His injury at the end of last season ensured he wasn’t selected for Colombia over the summer, meaning he could return on day one of pre-season and he’ll hope to reap the benefits of that.
He’s played four games so far, including two EFL Cup games and would have been in the side on Saturday had he stuck around. Assuming he remains unscathed on international duty, he’ll be fit enough to play 90 minutes in Bournemouth’s next game.
