Leeds release striker Somma

LEEDS United have released former Bafana Bafana star Davide Somma after the striker spent almost two years on the sidelines through injury … but have left the door open for his return.

Although the Yorkshire club will not offer Somma a new contract when his deal expires in June, he will continue his rehabilitation with the club ’ s medical staff and be offered the opportunity to join in pre-season training to prove his fitness.

“The club will continue to work closely with Davide Somma, a player who suffered a severe knee injury, on his rehab, and the South African international will have the opportunity to join in pre-season training with a view to assessing his fitness,” Leeds said.

The 28-year-old will otherwise have to start searching for a new club after a harrowing time out of the game with recurrent knee problems.

Somma has made a number of aborted comebacks from his first knee problem in July 2011, the latest being last month, which lasted just six minutes before he was forced to undergo surgery for cartilage damage.

It has thrown his future career into doubt and Leeds have decided not to extend his three-year deal into next season before seeing whether he can play again.

Somma joined Leeds in 2009 after a successful trial, having also tried out at Queens Park Rangers.

He had an unsuccessful loan spell at Chesterfield in the 2009-10 season, but fared much better when sent out to Lincoln City. There he scored nine goals in 14 appearances.

He became a first-team regular at Leeds for the 2010-11 campaign, scoring 12 goals in 32 appearances and becoming a firm crowd favourite.

His career was certainly on the up after that season, but the serious knee injury sustained in pre-season for the 2011-12 campaign had brought it to a grinding halt. In all he has scored 22 goals in 52 appearances in England.

Somma made his Bafana debut against USA in November 2010 and scored his first international goal a few months later against Kenya.