Leeds United have new signings like Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff already impressing, but there are members of the promotion-winning side also shining.
This Leeds United squad added in 10 new faces to the mix this summer, although it’s fair to say some players have bedded in quicker and better than others in this new-look side.
Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff have made a much more impressive team physically and competitively in midfield battles, with size and height to win duels and add some bite more than Ao Tanaka or Ilia Gruev.
Gabriel Gudmundsson, Stach, and Longstaff are the best Leeds signings so far, but players like Pascal Struijk, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, and Jayden Bogle have been the core of the side in 2025/26.
That defensive axis has been fairly settled, with those players being the foundation and platform for the rest of the team to express themselves. However, players like Gudmundsson and Bogle haven’t been renowned for their defensive work throughout their careers.
Jayden Bogle’s remarkable defensive numbers for Leeds
Longstaff is getting through plenty of defensive work already and Stach has covered the most distance in the Premier League. The area of the pitch they operate in means recoveries, tackles, and interceptions are all frequent.
In the Championship, Leeds had players who were questionable as to whether they could step up to the top flight. It’s why experienced top flight players like Stach and Longstaff were so necessary.
Someone like Bogle, for instance, has been regarded as an excellent attacking profile. But many would argue he is not the best defender and he gives away too many fouls and receives too many yellow cards.
The latest data shows that he is actually the Leeds player getting through the work defensively the most often, which will come as a surprise to many.
Longstaff (nine), Stach (nine), and Gudmundsson (eight) have the most blocks. Struijk (49) and Rodon (46) have the most clearances by absolutely miles. These stats come via FBref but the most impressive is Bogle.
Not known for his defending, but he has the most tackles (13) and interceptions (11) of any player in the squad. Combined, it’s six more than the next best player (Longstaff) as well. He’s criminally underrated and underappreciated.
Bogle is becoming the all-round package for Leeds as a right-back and he deserves more credit from fans of the club and neutrals far and wide. Bogle has James Justin as competition now but he’s risen to the challenge.
Graham Smyth’s view of Jayden Bogle after Spurs
It remains to be seen who will be Leeds’ best signing of 2025/26 but Tanaka and Bogle were Leeds’ best Championship signings. In fact, Bogle is one of four players Leeds had to build around this season.
Tanaka and Bogle made the PFA Championship Team of the Season but the question marks remained over them stepping up to the top flight of English football.
Graham Smyth believes he can play right wing, but moving him from where he is thriving makes little sense. Bogle is taking it all in his stride and performing even better than expectations.
The key for him from this point onwards is to maintain these levels and show that he belongs at this level over the course of a full season.
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