Gabriel Gudmundsson has revealed to Swedish media why he chose to join Leeds United in the summer from French side Lille, with Leeds fans delighted with their left-back.
Gudmundsson made it clear why he moved to Elland Road, explaining he chose Leeds too because they were very keen to get him in and offered a clear opportunity.
The Sweden defender, who has missed just one Premier League match all season, is quickly becoming a fan favourite at Elland Road. Even after his red card on Sunday, Gudmundsson apologised to supporters.
Speaking to Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen this week, Gudmundsson says he joined Leeds because he believed in the opportunity and was promised he would be a regular member of Daniel Farke’s side.
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“I’m not surprised [at being considered one of the best signings]. I’ve always believed in this opportunity and that’s probably why I chose Leeds too. They were very keen to get me in.
“I felt that there was a good opportunity to get a lot of playing time. In the beginning, of course, it’s always a competitive situation,” Gudmundsson continued, a couple of days after such a harsh red card.
“But precisely because they were so keen to get me in, it felt like there was a good opportunity to get a lot of playing time and it’s flowed very well. It’s always like that, the more you play, the better you get.”
The underlying numbers show Gudmundsson deserves more
The numbers underline that belief, with Gudmundsson making 29 Premier League appearances so far this season, missing just one league game in that early run, which reflects immediate and sustained trust.
Despite that consistency, Gudmundsson still has 0 goals and 0 assists in the Premier League. That does not reflect his contribution, with an xG of 1.10 and xA of 2.02 alongside 19 chances created.
It points to an output that should be higher over time, but is not necessarily his fault. He has already shown that end product in cup competition, having scored and assisted in the FA Cup win over Norwich.
A moment in Crete hinted that Leeds were the right move
There was also a moment before the move that reflected how natural the switch felt, when Gudmundsson noticed something unexpected while away.
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“When I heard of Leeds’ interest, I was on holiday in Crete relaxing after the season. I saw some people wearing the Leeds shirt so it felt like a good sign,” Gudmundsson said after completing his move, recalling how he saw some people wearing the Leeds shirt.
Gudmundsson arrived at Leeds expecting to play and has delivered exactly that, establishing himself as a regular while producing underlying numbers that show his performances have been stronger than his Premier League output.
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