Leeds United have endured great success in the transfer market, undoubtedly aiding their chances of securing Championship promotion under Daniel Farke.
Jayden Bogle arrived in a £5m deal from Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United over the summer, subsequently nailing down the right-back position as his own as a result of his tremendous displays.
The 24-year-old has registered four goals and two assists despite his defensive roles, helping the Whites boast the best-attacking record in the division to date.
Whilst he may only be at Elland Road temporarily, winger Manor Solomon has filled the void of Crysencio Summerville perfectly, notching 14 combined goal contributions – the joint fifth most in the division.
However, despite the impact of the current first-team stars, the big-money departures of various academy graduates over the years have certainly helped the club recruit as well as they have done.
Leeds United’s biggest academy departures
Midfielder Kalvin Phillips emerged into the first team ranks as a baby-faced teenager back in 2016, with very few supporters anticipating the rise he would’ve endured at Elland Road.
Despite being a more advanced player as a youngster, Marcelo Bielsa utilised him as a deep-lying option, leading to him racking up just shy of 250 appearances before his £45m move to Manchester City in 2022.
Archie Gray is another example of the calibre of the player who has made a name for himself after spending the vast majority of his younger years at Thorp Arch, playing an influential role in the Championship last season.
Despite his tender age of just 17 at the time, he featured in a variety of roles, such as either full-back or his preferred central midfield position – amassing 52 appearances before his £40m transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.
Whilst the aforementioned pair have undoubtedly brought in the most amount of money after their development, one other academy star was sold on the cheap a few years ago – subsequently taking his game to the next level after his move.
The former Leeds gem who’s now starring in the PL
With the club edging ever closer to a return to the Premier League after a two-year absence, it presents the opportunity of once again facing the likes of Phillips and Gray given their departures from their boyhood side.
Should they go all the way and secure promotion at the end of May, it could also see them come up against another academy gem in the form of Lewis Cook, who’s still plying his trade for Bournemouth.
The now 28-year-old made his breakthrough into the first team back in the 2014/15 campaign, ending his first season at Elland Road with 38 appearances across all competitions – featuring for various England youth levels as a result.
He would make an additional 47 appearances the following campaign, taking his total to 85 games for the Whites – claiming the EFL’s Young Player of the Year award in what would be his final year at the club.
Cook would move to Bournemouth in a £6m deal in the summer of 2016, becoming a key player in their unexpected push for a Champions League place this season.
He’s registered over 250 appearances for the Cherries after his bargain move to the Vitality, doing so whilst suffering two separate ACL injuries, showcasing how pivotal he’s been to Andoni Iraola’s success on the South Coast.
2016/17
8
0
2
2017/18
32
0
2
2018/19
15
0
0
2019/20
29
0
0
2020/21
35
1
1
2021/22
29
1
2
2022/23
31
0
2
2023/24
38
0
3
2024/25
26
1
3
Total:
243
3
15
He’s made 28 appearances in 2024/25, with the majority coming out of position at right-back, leading to one social media creator dubbing him “one of the most underrated players in the Premier League”.
Given the Cherries’ success in recent months, most of the credit has been dished out to the two centre-backs and forward line, with Cook certainly going under the radar with his efforts in England’s top flight.
Such a rise is hardly expected given the form he demonstrated at Leeds as a teenager, with the £6m fee the club sold him undoubtedly a bargain amid his performances for the Premier League outfit.
However, at the time, the prospect of top-flight football was too good to turn down for the youngster, with Leeds doing the right thing in not standing in his way – but there’s no denying they did so with an ounce of reluctance.
It’s great to see his rise after such a promising start to his career which was at one stage plagued by injuries – hopefully getting the opportunity to feature amongst Europe’s elite in the coming months, but there’s no denying that the fanbase wishes he was doing so at Elland Road rather than the Vitality.
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