Heading down from the Premier League in the summer, Leeds and their also relegated counterparts held a distinct advantage in spending power and ability to retain top-flight quality players.
It doesn’t always equate to promotion being handed on a plate to those three sides, but Leeds have given themselves a good chance with their signings, starting with Ethan Ampadu.
A £7million signing from Chelsea, Ampadu caught the eye on his arrival at Leeds as someone who arguably should be playing higher up the footballing ladder, but the offer of a permanent home was seemingly enough to convince the Wales star.
His performances so far under Daniel Farke have only reaffirmed the idea that Leeds have bagged a serious bargain, controlling the midfield in every game so far with intelligent reading of play in front of the defence, while showing a range of passing that looks an improvement on the midfield pivot the Whites had last season.
A breakdown from The Athletic has listed a number of signings across Europe that have gone under the radar in the summer, and that list includes Ampadu.
Ampadu is described as a player with a “wealth of experience” despite being only 22, while impressing and justifying value well above the price tag:
“All in all, the £7million ($8.7m) signing from Chelsea looks to be a great deal for a second-tier club buying a player with time to improve.
“So far, he has been a steady anchor in Leeds’ dramatic return to the Championship, putting together a string of solid performances with moments of inventive progressive play scattered throughout.”
In terms of his projected impact, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Ampadu could help Leeds to promotion:
“A tenacious tackler, and an increasingly resourceful forward passer, Ampadu will be a reliable, high-quality tempo-setter throughout the season, and whisper it quietly, a potential difference-maker in a competitive race for promotion.”
