Leeds United’s promotion-winning team from 2020 – where are they now?
Leeds United’s promotion-winning team from back in 2020 will always be remembered fondly by supporters.
Under the guidance of the legendary Marcelo Bielsa, the Whites ended their 16-year wait to return to the Premier League.
Bielsa’s Leeds side managed to pick themselves up and dust themselves off after they lost to Derby in the play-offs in the 2018/19 campaign, as they were promoted as champions.
MOT Leeds News looks back at the members of the squad who made five or more appearances to see where they are now, five years after their historical achievement.
Marcelo Bielsa
Bielsa is the man who masterminded Leeds’ great escape from the Championship.
The Argentine is the most beloved manager of the club’s modern era, and the incorrect decision to sack him back in 2022 is one that still haunts the club to this day.
To put it simply, Bielsa arrived in 2018, implemented his 4-1-4-1 system, turned water into wine when it came to improving the players he had at his disposal, and completely rejuvenated the feeling around the club at the time.
These days, Bielsa can be spotted on the touchline managing Uruguay, with whom he recently guided to securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup, with Leeds fans sure to keep a close eye on how they get on.
Kiko Casilla
Casilla arrived in West Yorkshire with a massive reputation after signing from Real Madrid in January 2019 and was a part of their squad that won three UEFA Champions League trophies, albeit with him as the backup goalkeeper.
Casilla made 36 league appearances for the Whites that season, and whilst he was solid at times, his erratic nature surely led to higher blood pressure readings for all Leeds supporters who watched him play.
The Spaniard was replaced by Illan Meslier at the backend of the season and remained second choice for the first season in the top flight before joining Elche on loan.
Casilla has now retired after finishing his career back in Spain with Getafe.
Illan Meslier
Meslier is one of the few players still at the club from their triumph back in 2020.
The narrative within the fanbase surrounding Meslier was the polar opposite back then, with the shot stopper frequently impressing despite turning 20 midway through the season.
The Frenchman made 10 league appearances, and whilst Meslier looks set to leave Leeds in 2026, his contribution to that promotion-winning side will always be remembered.
Luke Ayling
Ayling was one of the finest examples of the players who developed tremendously under Bielsa.
Now regarded as a club legend, Ayling made a total of 37 appearances in the league that season.
Ayling’s memorable volley against Huddersfield produced one of the greatest South Stand moments in the history of Elland Road.
Ayling’s seven-and-a-half-year spell at Leeds came to an end in January 2024 when the right back joined Middlesbrough on loan before making the move the move permanent in the summer, where he currently still remains.
Ben White
White had big shoes to fill at Leeds following the departure of cult hero centre-back Pontus Jansson that summer, but the English centre-back certainly delivered.
White started all 46 league games at Leeds during his loan spell at the club, as his tremendous performances were vital in helping United win promotion.
Following his impressive stint in West Yorkshire, White returned to his parent club, Brighton, despite Leeds’ best attempts to make his move permanent.
After a season playing in the Premier League with Brighton, White moved to Arsenal, where he has remained since.
Liam Cooper
The skipper and someone else who radically transformed under Bielsa.
Cooper played a total of 38 times in Leeds’ 2020 promotion-winning campaign, and his partnership with White was one of the pillars of the Whites’ success.
The man who lifted the Championship title featured regularly for Leeds in their three seasons in the top flight, but was ultimately used sparingly under Daniel Farke as Leeds attempted to immediately bounce back following their relegation in 2023.
Cooper’s decade-long stint at Leeds came to an end in September 2014, with the centre back joining CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria.
Cooper’s deal was terminated by mutual consent back in July, and the defender has yet to sign for a new club.
Ezgjan Alioski
Alioski was also beloved during his time at Leeds, and after initially starting life in West Yorkshire as a winger, he was primarily a left-back as Leeds went up.
The Macedonian chipped in with five goals during his 39 appearances in the memorable season that was put on hold near its climax due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alioski left Leeds after four years in 2021 to join Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ahli. This summer, Alioski returned to FC Lugano in Switzerland, the side he played for before joining Leeds.
Barry Douglas
On paper, Douglas looked to be an incredible signing for Leeds back in 2018, but the Scottish left-back failed to establish himself in the side regularly.
Barry started six games, but made a further nine appearances off the bench as he proved to be a valuable squad player.
Barry was loaned out by Leeds to Blackburn in 2020 before eventually moving back to Lech Poznan permanently for his second stint at the Polish club in 2021.
Nowadays, Barry plays his football for St Johnstone.
Stuart Dallas
Dallas is another player who is held in high regard at Elland Road.
The Northern Irishman was Bielsa’s utility man, playing at left back, right back and even in midfield at points, whilst being solid in all of the aforementioned positions after initially joining the club as a winger.
Dallas made 45 appearances that season, scoring five goals.
Dallas picked up a horrific knee injury against Manchester City in the Premier League for Leeds, and despite not featuring at all in the 2023/24 season as he rehabbed his injury, Dallas was forced to announce his retirement in April 2024.
Adam Forshaw
Forshaw was mainly used as depth for Kalvin Phillips under Bielsa as the midfielder was limited to just six starts and one substitute appearance.
Forshaw joined Leeds back in 2018, where the midfielder remained until 2023, leaving as a free agent following United’s Premier League relegation, where he joined Norwich.
Following a brief spell at Plymouth, Forshaw currently plays for Blackburn.
Pascal Struijk
Struijk is another one of the few remaining survivors at Leeds from this incredible season.
The Dutch defender just scrapes on to this list with his two starts and three substitute appearances, earning him his place.
Struijk was just 20 during this campaign as the centre back was used as and when Bielsa needed cover.
The ball-playing defender was crucial in United’s most recent promotion-winning campaign in 2025 and looks set to be a vital part of their squad for their Premier League campaign.
Patrick Bamford
Leeds’ top goalscorer for the campaign, Bamford, was integral to the way Leeds played under Bielsa, with his pressing and hold-up play making up for his lacklustre finishing at times.
Bamford would go on to have an even better campaign in the Premier League, netting 17 goals to help Leeds finish 9th on their return to the top flight.
Since the 2020/21 campaign, Bamford has struggled with injuries and was recently released by Leeds in August 2025 after seven years and two Championship-winning seasons with the club.
Whilst Bamford is reportedly favouring a move to the MLS, he currently remains a free agent following his emotional Elland Road departure.
Helder Costa
Similar to Barry, Costa arrived with massive expectations from Wolves back in 2019, but he ultimately did not live up to expectations.
43 appearances, four goals and one Championship winners medal later, and it was by no means a complete flop, but he did not tear it up as anticipated.
Costa was loaned out to Valencia and Al-Ittihad in 2021 and 2022, respectively, before joining Estoril Praia permanently in August 2024.
The Portuguese winger currently plays for Yunnan Yukun in China after joining them in January 2025.
Gaetano Beradi
The Italian defender’s name can often be heard sung by the Elland Road faithful on matchdays in 2025 as he played 22 games during the promotion-winning campaign under Bielsa.
After having joined the club as a full-back in 2014, Bielsa utilised Beradi as a backup centre-back.
Beradi joined the club when it is at a real low point but left in 2021 with the Whites a Premier League outfit.
The defender retired in 2023 after a spell with AC Bellinzona.
Jamie Shackleton
Shackleton was a product of United’s academy and started five games and made a further 17 substitute appearances during the season.
The Englishman was just 20 at the time and was either used in central midfield or right-back by Bielsa, who was evidently a fan of the youngster’s work ethic.
Shackleton joined Millwall in 2022 on loan and, after returning to Leeds for a season, made the move to Sheffield United permanently.
Mateusz Klich
Klich also became a cult hero in West Yorkshire for his contributions to Bielsa’s Leeds side.
The Polish midfielder joined Leeds in 2017 but was ultimately loaned out midway through his first season with the Whites, joining FC Utrecht in January 2018.
When Bielsa took over and began to reintegrate him into the team, eyebrows were raised at first, but Klich turned out to be an exceptional player for Leeds.
44 league appearances and six goals from midfield earned him his own chant and a place in the hearts of every supporter.
Klich left Leeds in January 2023 to move to the MLS with DC United.
From there, he had a brief spell with Atlanta United and now plays for Cracovia in his native country.
Tyler Roberts
Roberts was typically either deployed as a striker or an attacking midfielder under Bielsa.
He was never the first name on the teamsheet, evident in the fact that only 12 of his 23 appearances that season were starts.
The Welshman was only a youngster in fairness at the time, but few of the Elland Road faithful seemed to rate the then 21-year-old’s abilities.
Roberts was eventually loaned out to QPR in 2022 before leaving the Whites permanently to join Birmingham City.
It’s fair to say this move hasn’t worked out too much either, after being loaned out to Northampton Town and, most recently, Mansfield Town, where he joined in September 2025.
Eddie Nketiah
Excited was an understatement when Nketiah joined Leeds from Arsenal on loan in August 2019.
The young striker at the time was brought in to compete with Bamford for a starting position, but the loanee failed to dislodge Leeds’ number nine.
Nketiah scored three goals in his Championship starts and made a further 15 appearances off the bench.
Arsenal ultimately recalled Nketiah in January 2020, and the striker now has a new permanent home with Crystal Palace.
Jack Harrison
Every Leeds fan is aware that Harrison is back in the fold at Leeds after spending the previous two campaigns on loan at Everton.
Under Bielsa, the winger was liked by the supporters, but his reputation is currently in tatters.
Harrison scored six goals and featured in all 46 games in the title-winning season, and it’s a shame that his name in West Yorkshire will be forever tarnished.
Kalvin Phillips
The Leeds supporter at the base of the midfield was immense for Leeds as they went up.
Bielsa converted Phillips from a number ten to a holding midfielder.
Phillips’ fine form at Leeds has earned him 31 England caps as well as a massive move to Manchester City in 2022, which never worked out.
Short on confidence, Phillips has been loaned out to West Ham and Ipswich but has been unable to recapture the form that he showed for his boyhood club, and he is back at City and currently rotting on their bench.
Pablo Hernandez
El Mago, as he became known by supporters, was the jewel in the crown of Bielsa’s title-winning side.
Hernandez was outstanding as Leeds’ chief playmaker and even managed to notch nine goals in his 36 league appearances.
Now regarded as a Leeds legend, Hernandez retired after the Spaniard returned to his home country to finish his career at CD Castellon.
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