Leeds United’s Ilia Gruev says he’s very happy at the Premier League club and isn’t thinking about leaving them.
The 25-year-old arrived at Elland Road from Werder Bremen in August 2023 and has made 86 appearances for Leeds United so far.
Last season, he made 25 appearances as a knee injury partly restricted his minutes. The midfielder went on win the Championship with the Whites and it’s the only silverware of his career so far.
Back in January, the player said he “wants more” when asked whether he wants to live in the present or dreams of something bigger.
Daniel Farke convinced him to join Leeds United
Transfermarkt.de interviewed Ilia Gruev to discuss several topics related to the English club and his time with them so far.
Towards the end, he talked about how his move to Leeds United took shape and his future plans.
The Bulgaria international said Daniel Farke’s call was one of the key reasons he joined the Whites, who were then in the Championship.
“Of course, it was a time-sensitive move. The transfer window was only open for a few more days. Leeds presented me with a clear plan, and the phone call with Daniel was very promising. He showed me what kind of project was being developed in Leeds,” he said.
“And then, there was the dream of playing in the Premier League with a club steeped in tradition like Leeds. In retrospect, it was a very good decision, and everything has worked out perfectly.
“The move wasn’t easy for me at all, because I played for Werder for eight years. I was promoted with Werder and played my first Bundesliga season. But I was open to a new challenge, and when the offer from Leeds came, it was a very exciting opportunity.”
The player has no plans to leave Leeds United in the summer and explained their long-term plan.
“I feel very comfortable here and I see how the club is developing. The long-term plan is to become a top 10 team in the Premier League,” Gruev explained.
“If you can be part of that journey as a player and compete against the elite every week, that’s an absolute success. The fans also see which players have been with the club for how long. They are happy about those who have been there from the start.”
Leeds United remaining fixtures this season
Daniel Farke’s side are 15th in the table, eight points ahead of 18th placed Tottenham Hotspur.
The Whites have at least six matches left this season, including the FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea on Sunday.
Leeds United’s fixtures are as follows:
- v AFC Bournemouth [away] on April 22nd
- v Chelsea [FA Cup] on April 26th
- v Burnley [home] on May 2nd
- v Tottenham Hotspur [away] on May 11th
- v Brighton & Hove Albion [home] TBD
- v West Ham United on May 24th
