Dominic Calvert-Lewin makes new Leeds admission after 11th-hour offer from Champions League club
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been the catalyst for Leeds United’s incredible turnaround in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke’s side were firmly in the relegation zone back at the start of December, but have now managed to pull themselves eight points clear of the bottom three.
The Whites have picked up 14 points across their last 10 games, with Calvert-Lewin in superb scoring form, finding the net eight times in the same period.
However, his move to Elland Road almost didn’t happen after a late approach from a Champions League club last summer.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin rejected Champions League side
Calvert-Lewin joined Leeds on a free transfer at the start of this season, after failing to agree a new contract with Everton.
The former England international spent nine years at the Toffees, but only ever scored more than seven Premier League goals in a single season twice, in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
He has already surpassed that tally this term for Farke’s side, finding the back of the net nine times in 20 top-flight appearances so far, and he doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
Leeds fans will be thanking their lucky stars that they managed to sign Calvert-Lewin back in the summer, and they even beat a Champions League club to his signature.
In an interview with Graham Smyth for the Yorkshire Evening Post, the centre-forward did not deny the claim that he had chosen the Whites over a side in the Champions League while he was a free agent.
Calvert-Lewin opted against revealing which club was in for him, though, laughing off that question.
“You’re the first person to ask me that question, and I ponder over it sometimes and I look at what’s happened over the last five months, how it feels good when a plan comes together,” he said.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin makes new Leeds admission
If Calvert-Lewin continues to find the back of the net at the same rate, it will be his best scoring campaign in the whole of his career.
The 28-year-old scored 16 Premier League goals in 2020-21, and at the end of that season, he was called up to England’s Euro 2021 squad.
However, Calvert-Lewin actually has a better goal-per-minute ratio this term than he did five years ago.
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Premier League) | 2020-21 (Everton) | 2025-26 (Leeds) |
| Appearances | 33 | 20 |
| Goals | 16 | 9 |
| Assists | 0 | 1 |
| Minutes played | 2,876 | 1,406 |
| Minutes per goal | 179.15 | 156.22 |
In his interview with Smyth, Calvert-Lewin admitted that he is massively enjoying his time at Elland Road.
He said: “It’s definitely been a 12 months of growth, and one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.
“I look back now and thank myself for the decisions that I made then to keep persevering, and now I’m reaping the reward.
“I’m someone that believes that things can change so quickly, you just have to keep going. Keep going every day, keep going.”
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