Charlie Cresswell was one of eight players to be sold by Leeds United in the summer after a poor 2023-24 campaign at Elland Road, which included a fall-out with Daniel Farke.
The 22-year-old only ever played 14 times for Leeds despite captaining the U21 side and looking as if he could become the next off the conveyor belt from Thorp Arch. A loan at Millwall looked like it would help.
He scored five goals in 30 games from centre-back before injury struck. Relegation helped a few Leeds players become regulars at Elland Road, including duo Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville.
It was expected to be the same for Cresswell but he played just seven times for Leeds, failing to get in the side ahead of Joe Rodon. In January, Daniel Farke said Cresswell wouldn’t play until his attitude improved.
Ultimately, with Rodon signing permanently, Max Wober returning from a loan and Pascal Struijk fit again, it saw Cresswell depart. He joined Ligue 1 side Toulouse in a deal worth £3.8m, signing a deal until 2028.
Charlie Cresswell scores for England’s U21 side in 7-0 win
His move to Toulouse has seen Cresswell start four of the Ligue 1 side’s seven games so far, and has seen him retain his place in England’s U21 team. On Tuesday night, he won his 16th cap for England’s U21’s.
The 7-0 win over Azerbaijan saw England secure qualification for the Euro 2025 tournament next summer. Top of Group F with 25 points from 10 games, Cresswell opened the scoring after just two minutes.
Callum Doyle, James McAtee, Elliot Anderson, Dane Scarlett and Omari Hutchinson all scored as well as an own goal as England cruised to victory. A well-placed header from Cresswell set England on their way.
Cresswell posts on Instagram after second England U21’s goal
The defender actually opened his account for the Young Lions last season during a 3-2 defeat to Ukraine. But this time, his goal came in an England win and Cresswell posted on Instagram following the victory.
Whether it was the right decision for Leeds to sell Cresswell is up in the air. He may have deserved more game time under Farke last season and if that was the case, the defender might not have decided to go.
But given his lack of minutes during 2023-24, it was inevitable that Cresswell would be on his way. Not many might have predicted a move to France, but it’s first-team football in the top tier of a major league.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
