Daniel Farke makes the sensible call as Ethan Ampadu decision made at Leeds United
Leeds United have a new club captain ahead of the 2024/25 season and Daniel Farke appears to have made the most sensible choice.
The club announced via X on 23 July that Ampadu had been appointed as United's new skipper, with fellow defender Pascal Struijk and goalkeeper Illan Meslier named as vice-captains for the new season.
The trio will make up a new-look leadership group for Daniel Farke's side, with Struijk and Ampadu having previously shared the armband for large swathes of the previous campaign.
That was due to the departure of Luke Ayling and being selected ahead of long-time captain Liam Cooper, who now looks set to depart following the naming of Ampadu as his replacement.
Ethan Ampadu captaincy shows transition to new Leeds United era
The appointment of Ampadu as the club's new skipper is perhaps the final move away from the old guard at Elland Road, who will now be led by a 23-year-old with just one season in LS11 under his belt.
Ampadu, who played 54 times in his debut year, was fourth-fiddle when it came to wearing the armband last season, with Ayling and Struijk behind Cooper in the pecking order upon Farke's arrival at the club.
It may be somewhat surprising that Struijk – set to become the club's longest-serving player if and when Cooper does depart [Lancashire Telegraph, 19 July] – was not appointed captain ahead of the more inexperienced Ampadu.
However, despite he and Meslier both playing roles in United's last promotion to the Premier League, Struijk's injury issues – and the return of Max Wober [Beren Cross, 20 July] – suggest that the ever-present Ampadu is a wiser choice for the captaincy going forward.
The Welsh international, who recently captained his country for the first time, is set for another packed campaign, as he looks to follow in Cooper's footsteps and lift the Championship title aloft next May.
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