Leeds United are leading the race to sign Philadelphia Union midfielder Jovan Lukic, with the Serbian increasingly looking like a player Daniel Farke believes can raise the physical level of his midfield.
Sportsboom say Leeds are leading Celta Vigo in the race to sign Serbia U21 international Lukic from Brenden Aaronson’s old side, who have managed just one MLS win all season.
If he joined, the 23-year-old would not be arriving with a reputation built on flair or creativity, but his numbers suggest Leeds are targeting one of MLS’ most aggressive ball-winning midfielders.
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Lukic’s numbers point towards a midfielder built around defensive volume and confrontation. During the 2025 MLS season, the Serbian recorded 87 tackles, 47 interceptions and 210 recoveries.
He’s also won possession 26 times in the final third. Those are not passive holding-midfielder numbers. They reflect a player constantly stepping into duels, pressing aggressively and recovering loose balls.
Lukic plays with intensity first and control second
Lukic is not a deep-lying playmaker in the traditional sense. His passing profile is functional rather than expansive, completing roughly 83-86% of his passes while creating only 25 chances during the campaign.
What stands out instead is the sheer physical engagement in his game. Lukic has contested 325 duels and won 158 of them, while also maintaining a 66% aerial duel success rate.
That style has already made him popular in Philadelphia. One club feature described him as a player who “means business” whenever he takes the field, while he has been labelled a fan favourite with the Union.
That creates a difficult situation for Ilia Gruev
This is where the potential signing becomes complicated for Gruev. The Bulgarian is already one of Leeds’ more defensive midfielders alongside captain Ethan Ampadu, but Ampadu is considered a key player.
In the Premier League, Gruev recorded 24 tackles, 15 interceptions and 49 recoveries, while winning 50 duels across the season. It is clear that Gruev is a holding midfielder, rather than an attacking one.
His passing profile also looks very different. Gruev completed 89.8% of his passes while committing only 16 fouls, reflecting a calmer and more positional approach to midfield play.
Lukic, by comparison, committed 48 fouls because he constantly engages transitions before attacks fully develop. By and large, though, Lukic is similar to Gruev and the latter is in the final year of his contract.
Ultimately, if Leeds made a bargain £2.5m move to sign Lukic from the Union, then it pushes Gruev out of the Elland Road exit door. Leeds can do a whole lot better than both players, really, in central midfield.
Leeds may prefer a more confrontational midfield profile
What Lukic potentially changes is the balance around him. Leeds already possess technical midfielders capable of circulating possession safely, but they do not currently have many players producing the level of defensive activity Lukic showed in MLS.
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The Serbian’s profile suggests a midfielder designed to accelerate games rather than slow them down. If Leeds complete the signing, it would strongly indicate that Daniel Farke wants more pressing.
More second-ball aggression and greater physical intensity beside Ampadu moving forward. It also pushes Gruev closer to the exit door, given his contract situation and that he’s hardly first choice.
If the club invests in a midfielder whose biggest strengths are defensive volume, pressing aggression and transition-winning, it becomes difficult to argue Gruev’s long-term role is completely secure.
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