The “indispensable” Leeds star will be included in Bielsa’s best squad

One person who entered history Leeds United He is former coach Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentine coach is hugely popular among Elland Road fans, having spent three and a half successful years at the club between 2018/19 and 2021/22.

Of course, he was the man in charge when the Whites returned to the Premier League for the first time in over a decade, helping them stay comfortably.

That initial campaign back in the top flight in 2020/21 saw the Yorkshire side finish ninth in the table.

Statistically, they have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in 2020/21. They certainly stand up well against their starters this season.

How do Leeds’ key statistics compare from 2020/21 to 2025/26

We are seven games into the new season and Leeds, now coached by Daniel Farke, have impressed fans and pundits with how well they are playing.

many people, Including ESPN’s Bill Connellymade them drop to the second division, and they expected that they would finish eighteenth.

However, during the October international break, the Whites managed to keep themselves above the relegation zone. They have eight points to their name and are 15th in the table.

The number of expected points According to Anderstadtputting them at 9.96xPTS, suggesting they played better than their current score suggests.

Seven games into the 2020/21 season under Bielsa has seen Leeds perform slightly better than their current points tally. At the same stage of that season, they had ten points to their credit and were 12th in the Championship, which again was impressive considering they had only just been promoted.

Whereas five seasons ago the team bested FARC seven games a season, the current Leeds side are more defensively solid. They have conceded 11 goals this season, with an expected goals against total of 8.87xGA.

In comparison, Bielsa’s men have conceded 13 goals in seven matches, an average of 12.85 x GA. According to Anderstadt.

With that in mind, there is one man from the current Leeds squad who would certainly have made Bielsa’s side stronger.

The current Leeds player who will strengthen Bielsa’s team

There have been many outstanding players in a Leeds shirt this season. New signature Sean Longstaff I transitioned into life at Elland Road smoothly.

He has already created 13 chances in the Premier League, averaging 2.5 per 90 minutes.

However, the popular 2020/21 side could have done with reinforcements defensively. That’s why the current Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu He would have easily been included in Bielsa’s squad.

The Welshman is an “indispensable” member of the FARC team, According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

His entire career at Elland Road has come under the German’s tutelage, making 91 appearances and scoring two goals in his first season at the club.

One of the great things about the No. 4 player is his versatility. He is equally adept at playing as a centre-back and as a base midfielder, operating as a number six who can protect the back four.

In a Leeds shirt, he played 48 times in the final round, and 40 times in defence.

The graphic above shows Leeds’ most popular starting lineup from the 2020/21 season. It is easy to imagine Ampadu playing in the defensive line alongside Liam Cooper, the then club captain, replacing Diego Llorente.

Alternatively, he could have played alongside Kalvin Phillips in midfield to make them more defensively astute. This is a duo that would have won plenty of duels in the middle of the park.

Some statistics show Ampadu’s quality as well. Last season in the Championship, and this season in the Premier League, he was very consistent.

For example, in 2024/25, he recovered 5.1 balls per 90 minutes on average, which dropped slightly to 5 per game in 2025/26.

It is certainly not far-fetched to imagine Ampadu working in Bielsa’s successful team. Knowing the versatility he offers, as well as the quality he can bring to the team on and off the ball, he would have made a great addition to Heavy Metal’s transition squad.

Of course, we will never know how successful this was, but Ampadu’s contributions could have made Bielsa’s famous Leeds side even better.