Leeds United Star ‘Didn’t Fully Understand’ Size Of Whites
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Leeds United skipper Ethan Ampadu has revealed that while he had heard of the Whites’ stature, he did not fully grasp the magnitude of the club until arriving at Elland Road.
After several loan spells, the Welsh midfielder secured a permanent move from Chelsea to Leeds United in 2023, brought in by Daniel Farke to provide a calming presence in the dressing room and making an immediate impact by featuring in 54 matches, offering the team much-needed defensive stability.
In his second year at Elland Road, he was handed the captain’s armband and led the side to the Championship title, securing Leeds’ return to the Premier League.
This season, after a challenging start in the top flight, Leeds have steadied their campaign, losing just two of their last 13 matches, with Ampadu’s influence pivotal, one club legend describing him as the team’s glue and another Whites star noting he is the key figure the side depend on to dictate the tempo and orchestrate play at crucial moments.
The Wales international reflected on his move to Leeds United, explaining that although he had heard of the club’s size and history, he did not fully grasp the significance until he arrived.
He said the club’s project, despite their recent relegation, aligned with the expectation that Leeds belonged in the Premier League, and that discussions with the manager about his strengths and areas for improvement made the opportunity feel like the right fit.
The 25-year-old added that the timing and discussions with the club aligned perfectly with his own ambitions, and while things could have turned out differently, he feels the team are now progressing along the trajectory everyone expects.
Ampadu said on The Official Leeds United Podcast (28:50): “Before I came here, I’d heard of how big Leeds were, but I never really understood it to the point now.
“So it’d be weird for me to say how big of a club Leeds were because I didn’t fully understand it.
“But the project that they had, obviously, had been relegated before, but everyone had known Leeds should be in the Premier League.
“And when I spoke to the boss and his conversation with me about what he thought I was good at, but also the things he thought I could improve on, it felt like it fit.
“And obviously I’m very grateful that I did join here, but it just felt right, like having the conversations with the people at Leeds and what I wanted next.
“It just felt like it fit at the time, and I could have been sat here three years later and it didn’t work out.
“But I’d like to think that it’s on the trajectory that everyone thinks it should be.”
Leeds currently sit 15th in the table, six points clear of the relegation zone, with a former Whites star insisting the team has not received enough credit for their strong form.
After a two-year absence from the top flight, it remains to be seen whether they can retain Premier League status, but the club’s recent momentum suggests they are on course to achieve the objective Farke expressed confidence in meeting in November.
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