Chelsea International Defender Lined Up For Elland Road Switch After Deal Agreed With Leeds

Ethan Ampadu is on the verge of moving to Championship club Leeds United after they agreed a deal with Chelsea.

The 22-year-old Welsh international defender will undergo a medical at Elland Road. If all goes to plan then he will complete a reported £7 million transfer to the Yorkshire outfit that recently dropped out of the Premier League, according to Phil Hay at The Athletic.

Since joining the Blues from Exeter City, Ampadu has been loaned out to four different clubs. The young Welshman has gathered a wealth of experience in such a short career after spending time in Seria A with Venezia, plus brief spells at Bramall Lane with Sheffield United, and in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig.

Last season he made 31 appearances for Spezia in Italy but was unable to prevent them being relegated from Serie A at the end of the campaign.

Although he has become a regular fixture in Rob Page’s national squad, Ampadu has been unable to secure first-team football at Stamford Bridge. He has turned out just 12 times since he arrived at the club in 2017.

A permanent switch to Leeds under their new coach Daniel Farke could turn out to be a good move with the team hotly tipped to return to the top flight on their first attempt.

Daniel Farke has lost several key players

The German has overseen a massive transformation of the squad he inherited and looks to be in need of new recruits if his side is to mount a serious challenge.

Several of his big names have departed, possibly after realising they faced the prospect of Championship football this coming season.

Spanish international striker Rodrigo is now on the books of Qatari club Al Rayyan in the QNB Stars League. With 15 goals, he was the club’s top scorer last season.

Since arriving in Yorkshire from La Liga outfit Valencia, the Spaniard bagged 28 goals in 97 appearances. The Middle Eastern side decided to activate a release clause he had built into his contract.

Diego Llorente chose to rejoin Roma in Italy

Another Spanish international has moved to Roma in Serie A. Diego Llorente joined Leeds on September 24, 2020, but the centre-back spent last season on loan with Jose Mourinho’s squad until 30 June with an option to buy.

He will be joined there by Rasmus Kristensen, the Danish full-back who completed a loan move to Roma this summer. Spanish international midfielder Marc Roca also secured a loan move to Real Betis.

Farke also lost the German international defender Robin Koch who chose to join Eintracht Frankfurt. He will also be without Brenden Aaronson, the American international midfielder who has been loaned out to another Bundesliga club, Union Berlin.