Ilia Gruev makes ‘insane’ Leeds United admission that supporters will love
Ilia Gruev joined Leeds United from Werder Bremen in 2023.
The Bulgarian midfielder would make a combined 43 Championship appearances across his two seasons in the second tier with Leeds, who ultimately gained promotion to the Premier League.
In the absence of Ao Tanaka and Ethan Ampadu through injury, Daniel Farke has trusted Gruev to start in the Premier League clashes against Arsenal and Newcastle.
Whilst away on international duty, Gruev made an admission regarding Leeds and their supporters that will surely go down well with the Elland Road faithful.
Ilia Gruev labels Leeds promotion parade as ‘insane’
The midfielder was involved in two chaotic incidents whilst representing Bulgaria. Firstly, Gruev was in an altercation with Lamine Yamal in their game against Spain.
This was before Gruev was involved in a bust-up with his manager that saw the 25-year-old benched before their 3-0 defeat to Georgia on Sunday.
Typically, Gruev is a player who goes under the radar, but he made headlines yet again with his comments regarding Leeds in his interview with German outlet Bild on 7 September.
The Bulgarian international described what it was like to be a part of the United team that won promotion last season and had a memorable parade to celebrate the occasion.
“It was insane,” Gruev said.
“The way the city supports the club is extraordinary and almost impossible to grasp.
“Between 200,000 and 400,000 people came to the parade on Monday afternoon in 17-degree weather and clouds. We drove through the city for two or three hours by bus, and the crowds just kept coming.
“It was a fantastic experience. You could feel what the club means to so many people. The fans are incredibly excited for our games. It’s always sold out, the atmosphere is fantastic.”
Ilia Gruev explains his decision to move to Leeds
Before his £5.6million move to West Yorkshire, Gruev was a regular in the Werder Bremen side for two seasons.
No matter what you think of him as a player, Leeds would likely turn a profit on the player if they were to sell him today.
- In the 2021/22 season, Gruev made 26 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga, as Bremen were promoted
- The following season, Bremen finished 13th in the Bundesliga
- Gruev would make 31 appearances for the club that season before moving to Leeds
Gruev explained in the same interview with Bild why he ultimately chose to leave Germany to join the Whites.
“I was at Werder for eight years and thought it was time for something new.
“Then, coach Daniel Farke called, told me about the project, and simply convinced me. The goal was the Premier League. We achieved that in the second year,” Gruev said.
When Ampadu and Tanaka return from injury, Gruev’s playtime will likely become limited, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts, given the argument he recently had with his national team manager.
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