Ezgjan Alioski has been speaking to Blue Win in Switzerland about his career and Leeds United.
The club are currently third in the Championship but still have a reasonable chance of automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.
Alioski has played a big chunk of the campaign as a left back, and was asked if he’s satisfied with the role, given he’s known in Switzerland as an out and out attacker.
There were certainly no complaints from the Leeds man: “I can play at the front on the wings, now I play at left-back. But with Marcelo Bielsa, you’re not just a left-back, you also have to attack at the front. He trusts me, so we can set up with another offensive player. I feel comfortable in my new position and goals and assists come to me.”
The 27 year old has seven goals and five assists so far this season and continues to be highly rated in Swiss football.
Blue Win accepts the player’s goal is the Premier League, but still asked if he plans a return transfer to Swiss football, to which Alioski responded: “I focus on here and now and currently do not worry about the future at all. In Switzerland I have family and friends, I also played there for a long time. That’s why it would be nice to return to Switzerland someday.”
That ambition to play in England’s top flight is something the Macedonia international has spoken about several times, and he was quizzed on it again: “I knew before I arrived that the club has big ambitions and wants to get into the Premier League. That was one of the reasons I chose Leeds. Now we have a real chance to reach our big goal.”
A move to Elland Road wasn’t the only option for the footballer when he left Lugano in 2017, with there also being interest from clubs in Italy and Germany.
Blue Win wanted to know why Alioski snubbed other interest in favour of moving to the Yorkshire club: “I sensed that Leeds really wanted me. That finally convinced me. I looked closely at this with my consultant Dino Lamberti and we thought about what was going to take me further. There were certainly other offers, but for me it was always a dream to play in England. When a big club like Leeds United tries so hard for you, you do not have to think twice. Even if it is currently “only” in the second highest league.”
Throughout Europe, Leeds are seen as a traditional English club who have fallen on hard times. The support the team gets is also well known and Alioski has backed that up: “It’s all about football and everyone supports the club, no matter what league they play in. Even in the 5th league the stadium would be full. Whether victory or defeat, the support of the fans is always there and everywhere. Really obvious. It’s nice to experience something like that. But the desire of the fans for the Premier League is of course great. Therefore, the club gives everything for promotion.”
It’s not going to take long to find out if those dreams can become a reality this season.
