Ethan Ampadu will be hoping to cap off his debut season at Leeds United with a play-off final victory over Southampton.
With Liam Cooper expected to sit on the bench, Ampadu will almost surely lead the Whites onto the Wembley pitch, demonstrating how impressive a signing he has been.
Cooper has encouraged the Welshmen to fill his shoes as Leeds captain, and he has already made considerable progress in doing so, having worn the armband for nearly the whole second half of this season.
Ampadu has only had one true season in the Premier League in his career, as Sheffield United folded in 2020/21, while games were still played behind closed doors.
He will undoubtedly be one of the players with an extra motive to perform well in the play-off final this weekend, so he can finally receive a chance in English football’s top division.
Ampadu explains what he has learned about Leeds since coming.
Ampadu’s debut season could not have gone better since his £7 million transfer from Chelsea last summer, when he became the 49ers Enterprises’ first acquisition.
He has played all but one minute of Leeds’ Championship games, starting in center midfield before switching to centre-back in Pascal Struijk’s absence.
The 23-year-old was named to the Championship TOTS alongside Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, and he also won the Leeds individual POTS.
Despite all of his accomplishments, Ampadu claims there is one particularly amusing thing he has discovered about Leeds as a club since his move from Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he stated: “Certainly, you understand that many people despise Leeds. It simply sort of is what it is. We have goals, I stated it jokingly, but when you come here, you realize how huge the club is.
“From fans waiting outside, to fans waiting after the game, or at the game like you say if you do see them in the city, you get that understanding of how big Leeds is as a club.”
What caused Ampadu to learn this about Leeds?
Leeds fans are not afraid to admit that they are loathed by many other clubs, therefore they will be relieved to hear that Ampadu has realised this so swiftly.
One significant reason Ampadu may have come to realize this is how concentrated Leicester City’s promotion celebrations were on Leeds.
Leicester fans in the stands, players on the pitch, and even at their awards ceremony were all talking about Leeds after their 3-1 defeat at Elland Road.
Countless teams, including Preston North End, Coventry City, and Huddersfield Town, have recorded their greatest attendances of the season against Leeds.
