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HIGHLIGHTS
- Leeds United are expected to have a competitive campaign in the second tier this season under the guidance of two-time Championship winner Daniel Farke.
- The summer transfer window will be crucial in determining whether Leeds can secure promotion to the Premier League, as they have undergone a significant exodus of senior players.
- Leeds’ academy has produced valuable talents, including current players like Crysencio Summerville and Pascal Struijk, as well as former players like Jack Clarke and Lewis Cook. Kalvin Phillips, who joined Manchester City last summer.
It looks set to be an exciting campaign for Leeds United in the second tier this season, with the Whites expected to be competitive under two-time Championship winner Daniel Farke.
Leeds were relegated from the Premier League last season, and have the resources which should have them among the favourites for promotion this season under the guidance of Farke.
The summer transfer window will likely dictate whether or not Farke can clinch a third promotion to the Premier League, with Leeds overseeing a serious exodus of senior players – the majority on loan into Europe – and looking to rebuild around those that actually want to remain at Elland Road.
Chelsea’s Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow from Newcastle United look like sensible signings to bolster ranks in the midfield and goalkeeping departments, whilst the re-signing of Sam Byram on a free transfer following his release from Norwich City made perfect sense as well after an initial trial. Joe Rodon also joins for the season from Tottenham Hotspur, underlining good use of the loan market.
Given the club’s vast financial resources, there was always likely to be something of an “aggressive” approach to Leeds building their squad in the hope of making their latest EFL stint a brief one.
However, there are a number of young players on Leeds’ books who have come through their academy set-up, who will be hoping for more chances this season in the Championship.
Famously, Leeds have tended to afford their young players opportunities, from Archie Gray this season, to the likes of James Milner and Jonathan Woodgate in the past.
The Leeds academy is famed for producing talent, and with that in mind, we ranked their top 10 most valuable academy graduates right now.
All figures are according to Transfermarkt.
10Alex Mowatt – €3.50m
Mowatt played 125 games for the Whites, scoring 13 times and assisting a further 13 goals during his stint at Elland Road, lighting up LS11 with a range of long-range strikes in rather bleak times for the club.
The academy product departed the club in 2017 for Barnsley and has since gone on to play for West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough.
The 28-year-old is currently still with Leeds’ Championship rivals West Brom under former Leeds academy coach Carlos Corberan, no less.
9Charlie Taylor – €3.50m
A player who played alongside Mowatt comes in ninth place, with Taylor also valued at €3.50m.
Taylor has been linked with a return to Elland Road this summer, having played 104 times for Leeds before leaving for Burnley in 2017, scoring three and assisting a further 13 during his time with the club.
The 29-year-old is still with the Clarets, and has spent the majority of his time at Turf Moor in the Premier League, justifying his move away from Elland Road in 2017 by forging a decent career in the top-flight.
8Cody Drameh – €3.50m
The first current Leeds player on the list is Cody Drameh, with the 21-year-old joining from Fulham’s academy in 2020 to join Leeds’ youth set-up.
He has since graduated into more of a first-team role, having impressed with Cardiff City and Luton Town on loan in the second tier, winning promotion via the play-offs in the 2022/23 season with the latter.
7Elia Caprile – €4.00m
Caprile joined Leeds’ youth set-up in January 2020 from Chievo Verona, and departed in 2022 to join Serie B side SSC Bari.
During his stint in West Yorkshire, Caprile mainly featured for the club’s U-23 side and received several call-ups to the first-team under manager Marcelo Bielsa, but never made an appearance for the senior side.
Having impressed for Bari, the 21-year-old joined Serie A giants Napoli this summer, but was loaned out to Empoli immediately.
6Charlie Cresswell – €5.00m
Cresswell is the second current Leeds player on the list.
He spent last season out on loan with Championship side Millwall, where he played 30 times at the Den, but had his campaign cut short after fracturing his eye socket late on in the season at a point where the Lions were very much in the driving seat for a place in the play-offs – that pursuit faded on the final day with Cresswell in the treatment room.
Nevertheless, his development at Millwall has brought him back into contention at Elland Road, much to the delight of the club’s supporters.
5Lewis Cook – €10.00m
A lot was thought of Lewis Cook when he was first breaking through at first-team level at just 17.
He amassed 85 appearances for the club in just two seasons, earning himself a move to Bournemouth. However, injuries have hindered the 26-year-old from reaching his early potential at Elland Road.
He has almost made 200 appearances for Bournemouth in seven seasons, though, and has been capped by England during that time.
4Jack Clarke – €12.00m
In fourth place is Jack Clarke, who is valued at €12.00m.
The 22-year-old’s move from Leeds to Tottenham Hotspur didn’t work out, and loans back to Leeds, to QPR and Stoke City threatened to derail his early trajectory.
However, the winger enjoyed an outstanding 2022/23 season and scored nine goals whilst claiming a further 12 assists in Championship and play-off matches for Sunderland and now seems to be a player on the rise again, which is great to see.
3Crysencio Summerville – €15.00m
In third place is another current Leeds player, in the form of Dutchman Crysencio Summerville.
Summerville signed a new deal at the start of last season, keeping him tied down at Elland Road until the summer of 2026, and enjoyed a breakout season last year, scoring four and assisting a further two in the Premier League – those goals coming in consecutive games against Fulham, Liverpool, Bournemouth and Tottenham in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
His heroic performance on the opening day of the 2023/24 season – where he assisted Liam Cooper and scored a 95th minute equaliser – saved Leeds’ blushes on their EFL return against Cardiff City.
2Pascal Struijk – €18.00m
The final current player on the list is Pascal Struijk.
The 24-year-old has rattled towards a century of appearances for the club, featuring predominantly from centre-back, but has also played as a left-back and defensive-midfielder under Jesse Marsch and Marcelo Bielsa respectively.
The Dutchman joined Leeds’ academy set-up in January 2018, initially coming through the ranks before establishing himself as a first-team regular from the end of the 2019/20 season onwards and playing regularly in the Premier League.
1Kalvin Phillips – €32.00m
In first place is a player Leeds fans dubbed ‘The Yorkshire Pirlo’ for his midfield displays under Marcelo Bielsa.
Phillips’ rise through the ranks for Leeds is well-documented, with the academy graduate joining Leeds in 2010 as a 14-year-old.
The England international went on to play 234 times for the Whites, earning himself a £45 million move last summer to the Premier League champions, Manchester City.
His value has dropped since then, with the 27-year-old playing just 21 times last season despite City’s treble win. He is the highest value Leeds academy graduate at €32.00m, though, remains an England international and also retains his status as a hero in the Leeds area with his own mural in the city centr
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