Leeds United have announced the signing of versatile defender Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea.
After two years in Italy, the 22-year-old returns to England to help the Whites earn a swift top-flight promotion following a woeful 2022/23 campaign.
The Wales international spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Venezia but rejoined Chelsea last summer after the American-led club failed to hold on to their Serie A status.
He had another season-long loan spell at Spezia last season. Like Venezia a year prior, the Ligurian outfit suffered relegation, forcing Ampadu’s return to Stamford Bridge.
Leeds have seized the opportunity to take him to Elland Road after losing two defenders to Roma this summer.
Diego Llorente and Rasmus Kristensen have moved to Roma on loan, leaving new boss Daniel Farke strapped for reliable defensive options ahead of next season.
Ampadu has signed a four-year contract that will keep him in Yorkshire until 2027, with Leeds splashing out £7 million plus £3m in add-ons to secure a permanent deal.
The Welsh starlet swapped his childhood club Exeter City for Chelsea as a hot young prospect six years ago, but his career in London never took off.
H only made 12 senior appearances for the Blues, spending the last four years wandering between various loan spells in England and abroad.
Leeds may be excited about signing Ampadu, but they’ll need much more if they’re to make a quick Premier League return after sanctioning numerous departures.
Apart from Llorente and Kristensen, the Whites have lost Brenden Aaronson, Robin Koch, Marc Roca and Rodrigo, with only the latter leaving the club permanently to team up with Qatari club Al-Rayyan.
Aaronson will spend the 2023/24 season at Union Berlin on loan, while Koch and Roca are set to embark on temporary spells at Eintracht Frankfurt and Real Betis, respectively.
