Ethan Ampadu was once again a stand-out performer for Leeds United in their pre-season victory against Nottingham Forest.
Ampadu was making his second appearance of pre-season following his £7 million move from Chelsea, after shining on his debut against Monaco on Saturday.
The 22-year-old remains Leeds‘ only signing of the summer so far but is already proving to be a shrewd piece of business, even if he hasn’t played a competitive match yet.
It is clear Ampadu will be the lynchpin of Daniel Farke’s midfield, with the Welshman always showing for the ball and looking to dictate play.
But it is perhaps what he is doing off the ball which is just as impressive, particularly when you consider how new he is in the dressing room.
What Ampadu was spotted doing in Leeds’ win vs Forest
Ampadu was constantly spotted pointing and directing his teammates around the pitch throughout the 55 minutes he was out there.
He is clearly not afraid to tell his teammates when to slow it down and where to play their next pass like he has been playing under Farke his entire life.
It is that sort of off the ball leadership which really allows Leeds to dictate play at their own tempo in matches, which is exactly what they did against Forest on Thursday.
Despite his age, Ampadu has played a lot of senior football during his career so far and it clearly shows, as he is already showing he could be captain material in the future.
While Leeds supporters are begging for more signings to come through the door, the most important one they make may already be here based on what we have seen from Ampadu so far.
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