Any manager who dares to try his luck at leading Leeds United must be prepared for the lofty expectations placed upon them by supporters at Elland Road.
Daniel Farke has certainly managed to do just that over recent seasons, as he’s led the club from Champions promotion hopefuls to European dreamers in the Premier League.
The German will be hoping to make new history for the Whites and secure a top eight finish this campaign, but if he is to do just that, he will be relying on one player to provide the goods.
Why Muharemovic was Leeds’ best summer signing
Leeds are a club who have built themselves on being hard to beat and physically dominant in key areas – and that was even before the arrival of Tarik Muharemovic this summer.
The Bosnian international arrived from Sassuolo for a fee in the region of £34m, with the hope that the centre-back can offer a long-term solution within Farke’s back three.
Seven games into the 2026/27 league season, and it’s safe to say the 23-year-old has already captured the hearts of the supporters at Elland Road.
He’s featured for every minute of the league campaign to date, subsequently winning 3.7 aerial duels per 90 – the most of any defender within the current senior ranks.
Such a figure also ranks him in the top 15% of all defenders in England’s top-flight this campaign – which showcases his phenomenal ability in the defensive third.
|
Muharemovic – PL stats (2026/27) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Defensive statistic |
Total |
Per 90 mins |
|
Tackles |
5 |
0.71 |
|
Tackles won |
2 |
0.29 |
|
Interceptions |
11 |
1.57 |
|
Clearances |
52 |
7.43 |
|
Blocks |
5 |
0.71 |
|
Recoveries |
20 |
2.86 |
|
Times dribbled past |
2 |
0.29 |
|
Defensive contributions |
73 |
10.43 |
|
Aerial duels won |
26 |
3.71 |
|
Total duels won |
40 |
5.71 |
|
Fouls committed |
3 |
0.43 |
Muharemovic’s dominance without the ball has also been evident in his tally of 7.4 clearances made per 90 – which is also the highest in Farke’s side, whilst bettering 86% of other defenders across Europe.
Why Muharemovic was always going to be worth every penny for Leeds
At the time of his move to Leeds, many supporters were unsure if the defender would be able to match the hefty amount of money spent to secure his signature.
However, the signs were always there for the centre-back to be a monster hit in Yorkshire, with his stats from last season showcasing his quality within the defensive third.
Muharemovic was just as dominant during his final year in Italy, with the Bosnian managing to win 64% of the duels he entered last term – a figure which was higher than 90% of defenders in Serie A.
He’s certainly transferred his skills over to his time at Elland Road, which has seen the youngster already become one of the division’s most impressive talents.
During his final year at Sassuolo, he also managed to make the third-highest number of clearances of any player in the division – something which he’s evidently carried over to Yorkshire with him.
Why £5m Leeds man will never play again because of Muharemovic
Muharemovic has undoubtedly been the Whites’ shining light throughout the current campaign, with his performances allowing supporters to forget about the injury suffered by Joe Rodon.
The Welsh international is set to remain out of action until November at the earliest, and has been out of action since the end of August after picking up a hamstring issue vs Brentford.
However, the Bosnian has since stood up and led the backline expertly over recent weeks, resulting in the Whites losing just one of their first seven league games.
Rodon will no doubt return to the starting eleven upon his return to action, but not everyone is as lucky, with fellow centre-back Sebastiaan Bornauw unlikely to feature for the club again.
The Belgian arrived from Wolfsburg for a fee in the region of £5m last summer, with the hope he can provide needed quality and depth to the backline ahead of their maiden year back in the top flight.
However, it’s safe to say that the 27-year-old struggled to adapt to life in England, and was restricted to making just 17 appearances across all competitions last term.
Bornauw only started five games in the Premier League last campaign, with his stats showcasing how much he struggled to make an impact in Farke’s system.
He could only win 41% of the ground duels he entered at Elland Road, a figure which ranked him in the bottom 2% of all defenders in England’s top-flight last term.
The Belgian could only make 2.7 ball recoveries per 90 during his maiden year in Yorkshire, which like his duel tally, saw him be bettered by 90% of other defenders in England.
As a result of his struggles, Farke decided to sanction a loan move for the defender this term – with Bornauw joining Hamburg on loan for the entirety of the 2026/27 campaign.
The defender may have had hopes of returning to Elland Road and regaining a starting position next season, but any hopes he would have had have been extinguished by Muharemovic.
The Bosnian has proven that he’s undoubtedly a class above the £5m man, and has cemented his place as a regular starter within Farke’s squad for the foreseeable.
As a result, Bornauw will likely be sold at the next opportunity, with his future all but over in Yorkshire after his own struggles and the performances of players around him in the backline.
