Reading FC were the envy of Leeds United for what they lured from winger
Following Modou Barrow’s five-game appearance at Elland Road during the 2016–17 Championship season, Leeds United supporters would have been taken aback by the winger’s dominance of Reading the following season.
The two hoped that the reunion would help the Whites cross the finish line and qualify for the playoffs. Barrow had previously worked with Leeds boss Garry Monk at Swansea City.
The Gambian international only made five appearances for the Yorkshire team after failing to establish his footing at Elland Road.
It should come as no surprise that Leeds did not look into retaining Barrow in Yorkshire after his loan was up.
The move was a bit of a coup on paper. After making 18 Premier League appearances in the first half of the season, Barrow was sliding to the Championship and had a lot of teams interested in signing him on loan.
Although Newcastle United showed a great deal of interest, they eventually gave up when Andros Townsend, another unsuccessful loanee at Leeds, became available.
Although Leeds would have preferred not to, they swooped in for the quick attacker.
Monk did not make a substitution and give Barrow an opportunity, even after Leeds’ play-off push was over.
In reality, Barrow did not make a single matchday squad during the crucial last five games that saw Leeds lose their play-off berth.
However, Barrow’s performance at Leeds did not deter Reading in the summer, as the Royals reportedly paid Swansea £1.5 million to sign him. Barrow signed a four-year contract with Jaap Stam’s team, making his debut in a 2-0 loss away to Queens Park Rangers. His first goal on his third start was the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over recently relegated Aston Villa. Three months into his career, Barrow was demonstrating to Leeds what he was all about. The winger displayed excellent poise to score Reading’s victory away at Elland Road in the 85th minute, causing Barrow to whip his shirt off in celebration.
That was only the beginning for Barrow, who finished his first season as a Royal with four assists and ten goals in the Championship.
Barrow was still a threat even though his output in his second season at Reading was down.
Barrow scored four goals and assisted on another six in 35 Championship games despite playing 1,100 less minutes.
However, Barrow’s decline in minutes indicated that Reading was about to show him the door.
He initially signed a one-year loan with Turkish top division team Denizlispor before paying an undisclosed sum to join then-South Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
| Modou Barrow’s career path | |
|---|---|
| Club | Year |
| Mjolby AI | 2010 |
| Mjolby Södra | 2011 |
| IFK Norrköping | 2012 |
| Varbergs BoIS | 2013 |
| Östersunds FK | 2014 |
| Swansea City | 2014-17 |
| Nottingham Forest (Loan) | 2015 |
| Blackburn Rovers (Loan) | 2015 |
| Leeds United (Loan) | 2017 |
| Reading | 2017-20 |
| Denizlispor (Loan) | 2019 |
| Jeonbuck Hyundai Motors | 2020-23 |
| Al-Ahli | 2023-24 |
| Sivasspor (Loan) | 2023-24 |
| Abha | 2024-25 |
| Incheon United | 2025- |
During their time with Leeds, Barrow was not the only winger to make an impression on the Royals but fall short of lighting up Elland Road.
Reading about royalty Although Jimmy Kebe’s time with Leeds United is mostly forgotten, he will be remembered with fondness in Berkshire.
Kebe scored 31 goals in 190 Premier League and Championship games in 2011–12, helping lead the Royals to promotion in Berkshire.
Kebe only made nine appearances during a loan stint with Leeds towards the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, although he did score—unlike Sako.
In fact, both Barrow and Kebe can take solace in the fact that numerous wingers came and went at Leeds with little impact following their return to the Championship in 2011. Alfonso Pedraza joined Leeds on the same deadline day as Barrow, and similarly left in the summer when his loan from Villarreal expired. Ryan Hall, Cameron Stewart, Jordan Botaka, and Hadi Sacko were further examples of pacy wingers that could not get going at Elland Road. However, unlike that trio, Barrow went on to prove his worth in the Championship at Reading.
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