One Leeds United player who has been linked with a move away dominates Premier League statistic against Everton that could force the club to reconsider.
The player has been at Elland Road for the past seven years, making him the current longest-serving player.
However, there have been concerns all summer regarding his Leeds future. He could be the one to raise funds in order for the club to conduct more of the big-money business late in the transfer window.
Reporters like Adam Pope have raised concerns over his future in recent months, while Beren Cross explained the PSR complexities as well, but this key stat is going to be hard for Leeds to ignore.
Leeds United v AC Milan, pre-season friendly match, Dublin.
Photo by Tim Clayton/Getty Images
Pascal Struijk boasts highest pass completion for opening weekend
Pascal Struijk had the highest pass completion rate, 98.6%, of any Premier League player at the weekend; that’s over 50 attempted passes.
He also completed the fourth most passes into the final third—10 in total—which is truly impressive.
With his eyebrow-raising statistic, it calls into question why Struijk has been linked with a move away from Leeds prior to the transfer deadline.
Struijk and Willy Gnonto have been earmarked as PSR sales potentially. However, interest has been limited up to this point, with the main story at one stage regarding Struijk and links to PSV Eindhoven.
Contribution Statistic
Accurate passes 69/70
Touches 80
Clearances 8
Total shots 1
Distance covered 9.5 km
Pascal Struijk’s statistics vs Everton, via FotMob.
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The latest information is that Villarreal are now in the race to sign Struijk. Amid this talk, Beren Cross of The Athletic has cleared up the financial situation at the club, with less than two weeks to go in the transfer window.
He said: “My assumption had always been one of Struijk, Gnonto or Mateo Joseph (who has since left) would need to be sold for an eight-figure sum that delivered a PSR boost in this window.”
Leeds United v Everton - Premier League
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
Pascal Struijk’s journey at Leeds United
Pascal Struijk’s journey at Leeds United has seen him develop from a promising youth player into a crucial first-team defender. Since joining the club from Ajax in 2018, he has become a versatile and reliable presence at the back.
Struijk has been a key figure in the Premier League. In the 2020-21 season, he made 27 Premier League appearances, scoring 1 goal.
He followed that up with 29 appearances in each of the two subsequent seasons, scoring 1 goal in 2021-22 and 2 goals in 2022-23.
His consistent performances earned him a reputation for being solid defensively while also being comfortable on the ball.
He played a significant role in helping Leeds secure promotion to the Premier League in 2020 and cemented himself as a first-team regular.
Last season, he showcased his attacking threat from the back, scoring 5 goals in 35 Championship appearances. His leadership qualities were also recognised, as he was trusted with the captain’s armband in a number of matches.