BREAKING NEWS: AFC Bournemouth Football crowd falls silent as stadium announcer confirms tragic death of fan.

Sky Sports journalist Mark McAdam first broke the news yesterday that the Whites were close to completing the signing of the 29-year-old midfielder. That’s after he spent the second half of last season on loan at Southampton and has headed out on loan again.

He will spend the full season at Elland Road to become their third summer signing, as well as the first new player of the transfer window. The Whites have been fairly slow starters when it comes to incoming business this summer, even though they have two signings on the board in Joe Rodon and Alex Cairns.

Rothwell notched four goals in his half-season stint at Southampton, while coming off the bench in the second half of their win at Elland Road in May. He was also part of Russell Martin’s Southampton side that ended up pipping Leeds to promotion in the play-off final, as an unused sub as the Saints secured victory. Rothwell has been deemed surplus to requirements at Bournemouth, having signed for them after promotion in 2022 under Scott Parker from Blackburn Rovers. Rothwell’s deal was concluded swiftly on Thursday evening to see him join Leeds on loan for the 2024/25 season just mere hours after hints emerged that he could be heading to West Yorkshire.The season-long loan also comes with an option-to-buy for Leeds, according to Adam Pope and others, despite contrasting reports. It sees him secure his immediate future, having been on the fringes at Bournemouth since leaving Blackburn.

Joe Rothwell’s delight at joining Leeds

On paper, it looks like a sensible move more than anything else, even though he’s taking up a loan spot this season for Daniel Farke, albeit quite shrewdly to add cover to a crucial position where Leeds required an addition.

Rothwell notched four goals in his half-season stint at Southampton, while coming off the bench in the second half of their win at Elland Road in May. He was also part of Russell Martin’s Southampton side that ended up pipping Leeds to promotion in the play-off final, as an unused sub as the Saints secured victory.

He managed 17 league appearances and four goals, winning their Goal of the Season competition. Rothwell showed last season that he’s more than capable of being a vital part in a promotion-winning side, whilst his box-crashing and shooting ability is vastly superior to Leeds’ other options in central midfield.