Leeds United had an incredible 2024 campaign to begin with. By March, Daniel Farke’s team had risen to the top of the Championship table thanks to an incredible run of victories—12 out of 13 games played, with an overall record of 28-3.
However, the Whites have become more reserved recently. They have only prevailed once in their last five Championship games, most recently at home against Blackburn Rovers, who are now in 17th place.
Currently seated in third place and two points behind league leaders Ipswich Town, they are still in the running to be promoted back to the Premier League.
However, in the event that Leeds fail to improve, these five Elland Road players may be on their way out if they are not promoted.
Crysencio Summerville
This week, Crysencio Summerville, a forward from the Netherlands, was selected the Championship Player of the Season, demonstrating his exceptional play not just at Elland Road but throughout the second division.
The 22-year-old has reportedly drawn interest from clubs in the Premier League and Europe after scoring 17 goals and dishing out eight assists in the league this season.
Summerville was acquired by Leeds from Feyenoord in 2020, and they have approached his development methodically. This season, it has paid off as they aim to use the prolific winger’s output to propel themselves back into the Premier League. If they don’t make it, Summerville will probably be playing football in a top league somewhere.
Georginio Rutter
Georginio Rutter, a France under-21 international, has recently seen a decline in his play, much like Leeds as a whole. However, his 2023–24 season performances will make him highly sought after should Farke’s team be forced to play at least one more season in the second division.
The 21-year-old attacker, who joined Leeds from German team Hoffenheim 18 months ago, has not contributed to a goal in his previous five games. His decline has been attributed to a hernia problem that required surgery during the most recent international break.
Even so, he still has the second-most assists in the division (15), trailing only Ipswich left-back Leif Davis by two.
Rutter has the potential to either propel Leeds back into the automatic promotion push or at the very least draw in a number of summer suitors if he can demonstrate a healthy recovery from his minor mid-season procedure.
Ethan Ampadu
Former Chelsea prodigy Ethan Ampadu has been outstanding at the heart of the Leeds defence since joining the club in a £7 million deal last summer.
Once regarded as one of the top talents in the country, the former RB Leipzig and Venezia loanee has struggled to find a footing in the game in recent years, cast out for a string of temporary spells elsewhere amid a lack of opportunities at Stamford Bridge.
But having finally left Chelsea on a permanent basis, he has made a home for himself in West Yorkshire and shown exactly why he was so highly regarded to begin with. He was named the PFA Championship Player of the Month for March for his part in helping Farke’s side keep three clean sheets, and this week he was handed the Leeds Player of the Year award.
Despite being only 23 years old, Ampadu has 51 caps for Wales and has played in three different top-tier leagues. His developing skill set, combined with his relative youth and his excellent performances at Elland Road this season, will make him a desirable transfer target for Premier League teams.
Daniel James
Considering that Daniel James has already made three unsuccessful attempts to break into the Premier League (first with Manchester United, then Leeds, and last season on loan with Fulham), potential top-flight suitors may be reluctant to give Daniel James another chance if Leeds aren’t promoted.
However, based on his 2023–24 campaign at Elland Road, the 26-year-old Welsh speedster seems more than prepared to give the Premier League another go.
James has contributed seven assists and 13 Championship goals from the right side of Leeds’ offense. As the club’s second-highest scorer, he has personally contributed to more league goals than Summerville and Rutter combined.
Archie Gray
Archie Gray, who just turned eighteen last month, is already being predicted to be a star in the senior England squad.
The young player, an under-21 international, is talented, athletic, and adaptable. He has made 38 starts in what has been his breakout season in the Championship, playing both at right-back and in center midfield.
Gray is destined for greatness if heredity is any guide to future success. He’s from a distinguished football family. For nearly twenty years, his father Andy played professional football, during two stints with Leeds. Frank, his grandpa, was a Scotland international who represented the Whites in almost 200 league games. Furthermore, Eddie, his great-uncle, is a true Elland Road legend.
It will be interesting to see if Archie continues the illustrious Leeds footballing family history. The talented adolescent is reportedly being linked to deals worth £50 million, including Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
