Leeds United’s Ilia Gruev is letting going of his career goals for the future.
The Bulgaria international has been speaking to Sky Deutschland at length on several subjects including Leeds United and his ambitions.
Gruev graduated from Werder Bremen’s academy and made his way into their first team in 2021. He spent two years with the Bundesliga club before moving to Leeds United in August 2023, just two months after Daniel Farke’s arrived at Elland Road.
The midfielder was part of the Whites squad that won the Championship last season, the only honours of his playing career so far.
Sky asked the Leeds United player whether he still has dreams or if he likes to live in the present.
“A mixture of both. It’s important to live in the moment and enjoy it. But I still have goals. I’m someone who wants more, and I know I’m capable of it. Hopefully, I’ll achieve those goals in the coming years,” he said.
Whether those goals can be met with Leeds United or not is unclear. However, the interview gave plenty of opportunities to more heavily hint at a transfer, and Gruev did not.
Earlier in the season, the player explained he’d been blown away by the Leeds United support. He praised them again in the latest interview and used Lukas Nmecha’s late winner against Fulham as an example.
“Yes, it’s incredible. You can see how connected the fans are to the club. Especially in the second half against Fulham, the way they pushed. And then the winning goal in the last minute: the stadium went wild,” Gruev explained.
Leeds United game time has improved
The Bulgarian made only three league appearances for Leeds United between September and November. His situation has improved a lot as he’s been a regular for Farke in recent weeks. Gruev says he never held talks with the manager regarding his playing time.
“To be honest, I don’t talk to Daniel that much. I know how he operates and what he expects from me. He also knows what he’s getting from me when he plays me,” he added.
“For me, it’s about having a feel for what’s important on the pitch, communicating a lot, and helping the team. It’s less about constantly discussing things, more about him knowing what he’s getting, and me knowing what I need to show. Of course, there are times when you have to wait or don’t get the playing time you’d like. But that’s part of the game, especially at this level.”
