Ethan Ampadu was one of a handful of signings Leeds United made before their return to the Championship in 2023. That summer saw so many players leave Elland Road when their Premier League stay ended.
Multiple players had relegation clauses and were eager to leave the club before playing in a lower tier league. The arrivals that summer included former Chelsea midfielder Ethan Ampadu. The Welsh international finally found a permanent home after multiple loan spells over the years. From his first game, he has gone on to become one of the best players at Leeds United.
His on-pitch success eventually saw him named club captain. And he has been a big part of the Whites’ journey since his arrival and he is now starring in the Premier League.
Ethan Ampadu makes honest Leeds United admission
In a recent interview, the midfielder admitted that before he joined the Whites, he did not know ‘big’ of a club they were. Now, he has immersed himself in West Yorkshire and the fanbase at Elland Road.
“Before I came out here, I’d heard of how big Leeds was, but I never really understood it to the point now.
“So it’d be weird for me to say how big 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 in his conversation with me about what he thought I was good at but also the things he thought I could improve on, it just felt like it fit, and then I’m obviously grateful that I did join here.
“But it just felt right, having the conversations with the people at Leeds and what I wanted next, it just felt like it fitted 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.”
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Club must do everything to keep star player
This week has seen news emerge about Ethan Ampadu’s contract at Leeds United. The club captain’s deal runs out in 2027, and going into this summer, it is believed he would have multiple suitors. The 49ers need to do everything in their power to extend his stay at Elland Road. Ampadu is the kind of player a club builds their future around on and off the pitch. He has showed his worth on the pitch in the Premier League, and now Leeds must find a way to reward him for his effort while securing the future of their valued player.
