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Phil Hay shares new details on Leeds United deal for Ilia Gruev after Werder Bremen stance

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Published on:

19 Jan 2024, 2:59 am

Phil Hay has claimed that Werder Bremen were "reluctant sellers" when it came to Ilia Gruev joining Leeds United in the summer transfer window.

The Bulgaria international arrived at Elland Road in a £5million deal a day before the 1 September deadline.

Gruev has had to bide his time since arriving, but he has now become a regular starter under Daniel Farke.

Sharing details of the transfer for The Athletic [19 January], Hay said: "Ilia Gruev to Leeds United was one of those deals everyone involved had to fight for.

"Time was short late in last summer’s transfer window and the club he was about to leave, Werder Bremen, were reluctant sellers.

"Losing Gruev, 23, was not part of the plan. They had developed him for eight years and he was starting to come to the fore."

Taken his chance

The signing of Gruev seemed a strange one for much of the first half of the campaign as the midfielder could not break into Farke's preferred XI.

Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara formed a solid relationship in holding midfield, after Archie Gray moved to right-back, the pair starting 17 and 27 Championship games respectively.

However, Gruev has now started three of Leeds' past four matches, coinciding with their return to form.

That has come alongside a mixture of Ampadu and Kamara, with the former shifting into the back four at times this season.

Landing Gruev in the first place was considered a coup given he was a Bundesliga player, and now Leeds are getting full use out of him.

Farke's squad depth is pretty incredible - albeit not all across the pitch - with Gruev another example of a player taking his chance when it arrives.

If United are to maintain their charge for promotion, they will need Gruev to remain consistent if he continues to get the nod from Farke.

In other Leeds United news, a Sky Sports pundit has raised "concern" over a possible Elland Road exit before the transfer window closes.

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Leeds United

Phil Hay

Ilia Gruev

Werder Bremen