The Future of Leeds United’s Defence: Pace, Power and Aerial Dominance

This blog has spent a significant amount of time focusing on attacking reinforcements because, if we’re honest, that’s where the sex appeal in football lives, isn’t it? Given the choice, we’d all rather spend hours debating which left winger to sign, which attacking midfielder might inherit the mantle left behind by El Mago himself, or which striker is going to fire Leeds United towards Europe and an away day somewhere in Azerbaijan in the Conference League.

But unfortunately, football teams also have to defend.

When the transfer window “slammed shut” last summer, large sections of the Leeds fanbase (myself included) were left convinced the squad lacked enough attacking quality to survive in the Premier League. You only needed to spend five minutes on Twitter (and no, I’m still not calling it X) to see supporters collectively wondering where the goals were going to come from.

Instead, the recruitment department prioritised defensive stability. The aim appeared clear: build a side that would first and foremost be difficult to beat at Premier League level. How dare they exercise competence and long-term planning.

In hindsight, it’s difficult to argue with the outcome. While I still believe attacking quality will sit firmly at the top of Leeds’ agenda this summer, potential departures mean defensive reinforcements may quietly become just as important.

Paraag Marathe released a statement on Monday 25th May via the club’s socials, discussing the impact of SCR and admitting that “our approach to the transfer market will once again be strategic and disciplined to comply with regulations while striving further to improve, and players will both arrive and depart as a result.” Naturally, that caused a fair bit of consternation amongst a fanbase that needs very little encouragement to overreact. We’re an emotional bunch, aren’t we?

It was the specific mention of departures that caught my attention, though, and I don’t think Paraag was only referring to the deadwood. Leeds rejected an offer for left-sided centre-back Pascal Struijk late in last summer’s window, and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see interest return this time around. It would be a real shame to lose him, not least because of everything he’s been through with the club. According to LUFCData, no player has made more Premier League appearances for Leeds United than Struijk since the club originally dropped out of the division in 2004. Add in his two Championship titles under Bielsa and Farke, his growth into a regular starter, and the fact he has captained the side on multiple occasions over the past three seasons, and you’re looking at a player who has quietly become a significant figure in the modern Leeds story.

It would hurt to see him go, especially after a season where I felt he really stepped up at Premier League level. Left-footed centre-backs always come at a premium, particularly ones who are comfortable in possession and dominant in the air. But with Struijk entering the final year of his contract, and financial rules forcing clubs to make difficult decisions, his sale probably makes sense from a business point of view. Pure profit and all that. Modern football, eh?

If we genuinely have seen the last of Pascal, then that memory of 17th February 2025 at home to Sunderland will live on. What a servant he’s been.

An Eye On The Future: El Chadaille Bitshiabu 

El Chadaille Bitshiabu is one of the more physically unusual centre-back prospects currently operating in European football. At surface level, the attraction is obvious. He has an enormous frame, is left-footed, naturally dominant physically, and exceptionally mobile for his size. That combination alone explains why he remains highly regarded despite not yet fully establishing himself as a consistently dominant starter at RB Leipzig. However, it’s also fair to say that he is not currently a finished article. Right now, Bitshiabu looks more like a hugely talented athlete rather than a fully polished defender. At his best, he looks capable of becoming exactly the type of centre-back modern elite teams want: quick enough to defend huge spaces and physically dominant in duels.

At his worst his positioning becomes inconsistent, his defensive timing collapses, and he relies too heavily on athletic recovery. There’s huge upside here, but Leeds would need to accept the rough edges too. As an immediate Struijk replacement he’s a definite risk. As a potential one for the future – it’s a big yes. 

PLAYER PROFILE

Age Profile

Bitshiabu is extremely young for a centre-back. This matters because centre-backs generally mature later than attackers. Their positional understanding, spacing control, and defensive anticipation arguably often develop significantly between ages 21–26. Bitshiabu still shows signs of being early in that process.

POSITIONAL ROLES

Primary Role

• Left-sided centre-back in a back four

Secondary Roles

• Wide CB in a back three
• Central CB in back three
• Emergency defensive left-back

PHYSICAL PROFILE

This is the defining part of the player.

Height & Frame

At 6”5’ Bitshiabu possesses enormous size, elite reach, and naturally intimidating physicality. Against most attackers he already looks physically Premier League-ready. A near perfect addition to “Big Bastards FC”.

Mobility

This is what separates him from many large defenders because for his size his stride recovery, acceleration over distance, and transition mobility are genuinely impressive. He can defend wide spaces, recovery transitions, and vertical attacks far more comfortably than most centre-backs of similar dimensions.

Recovery Speed

This is the trait that makes him particularly unique. He is physically strong due to his large frame, but his single most valuable trait currently is his recovery speed. We’ve seen how important Rodon’s recovery speed has been this season. Bitshiabu possesses similar speed. With Bijol central as part of a back three, Rodon and Bitshiabu can offer advantageous recovery powers on both flanks. The good folks over at Sports Interactive have rated both players’ pace at an impressive 15/20.

Bitshiabu has the athleticism to recover broken situations, chase runners, and defend space behind the line. This is extremely valuable in modern football. And it is something that can’t be coached. You either have it, or you don’t.

DEFENSIVE STYLE

Bitshiabu is fundamentally a proactive physical defender. He prefers:

• stepping out aggressively,
• engaging duels early,
• attacking runners physically,
• and defending front-foot.

This means his defending can look dominant one minute and chaotic the next. When his timing is correct he looks dominant. When his timing is wrong the defensive structure can open dramatically.

1v1 DEFENDING

This is one of the strongest areas of his current game because of his reach, pace, physical strength, and recovery ability, he is extremely difficult to beat cleanly in isolated situations. This makes him particularly useful against transition-heavy teams, pacey forwards, and channel runners. However he occasionally trusts his athleticism too much and can become reactive, overly aggressive, or reliant on recovery tackles.

DEFENDING IN SPACE

This is probably the part of his game with the highest ceiling. Modern football increasingly demands centre-backs capable of defending large spaces, high lines, and transition moments. Bitshiabu already looks unusually comfortable here for his age. This is especially important because many physically dominant young CBs struggle badly once they’re dragged into wide areas. Bitshiabu generally does not.

POSITIONAL DISCIPLINE

This is probably the area where he still needs the most coaching. There are still moments where spacing becomes inconsistent, runners are lost, or he becomes too focused on immediate duels. He sometimes becomes too focused on winning the immediate duel and loses awareness of the bigger defensive shape around him. This is common in young athletic defenders. Because he trusts recovery speed so heavily, he can sometimes take risks older defenders simply would not. If Leeds were to take the risk with Bitshiabu, the experience of Bijol, Rodon and Gudmundsson alongside him could be crucial. Although a couple of mistakes and Rodon might just kill him. 

AERIAL PROFILE

This is naturally strong due to his large frame, height, and physical reach. However the consistency is not fully there yet. There are matches where he dominates aerially, attacks crosses aggressively, and wins second balls comfortably. And other games where his timing becomes inconsistent, or concentration drops on repeated deliveries. Long-term, you’d expect this to become one of the strongest parts of his game, not least because he would have Jaka Bijol beside him. A player who gets his head on everything. 

BALL PLAYING / POSSESSION PROFILE

This is the most overhyped part of his game publicly. Because he is left-footed, technically competent, and developed within elite systems, people often describe him as an elite ball-playing CB. But currently this is overstated. At 21 he is composed enough, comfortable receiving pressure, capable of progressing play, and technically functional. He can switch play, break lines occasionally, and carry possession forward. He’s comfortable on the ball, but not the sort of centre-back who dictates games through possession. His technical profile is good for a physically dominant defender. Not elite regardless of physical profile. That matters.

CARRYING / PROGRESSION

This is actually an underrated part of his game. Because of his stride length, athleticism, and composure, he can carry through pressure effectively. This becomes especially useful once matches become stretched and space starts opening up ahead of him. This is one area where his athleticism and technical comfort combine very effectively.

PRESSURE HANDLING

He’s generally calmer than expected for such a young defender and does not panic easily. However when confidence drops within matches, decision-making can become rushed, reactive, or overly physical. He’s still learning how to handle difficult moments consistently at the top level. Is Elland Road the best environment for that to continue? Especially if things go wrong next season? 

TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE

This is inconsistent but improving. At Leipzig, there are signs of better spacing, improved timing, and stronger structural understanding. There are still moments where his athleticism carries him more than his reading of the game. This is probably the single biggest factor determining whether he becomes merely a good athletic CB, or an elite modern defender.

MENTALITY & TEMPERAMENT

Like a lot of the younger generation, he is generally composed personality-wise. But like many young defenders confidence visibly affects rhythm. When early duels go well he grows rapidly into matches. When isolated negatively there can be hesitation, overcorrection, or passive phases. 

Something that Leeds’ recruitment department and Daniel Farke will also take into account when is the “no dickheads” rule. Bitshiabu has been unhappy at Leipzig for the second half of this season at the very least, and as Philip Hinze of Sky Germany has reported, Bitshiabu pushed for a move last summer and will attempt to “force a transfer” this summer. If the going gets tough in LS11, or if he doesn’t get the required game time he believes he deserves, will we see similar behaviour? And is this something anyone at Leeds will tolerate (spoiler: no).

LEIPZIG CONTEXT

RB Leipzig is one of the most difficult development environments for young defenders because defensive lines are aggressive, transitions are constant, and space defending is relentless. Mistakes become highly visible there. That environment likely accelerates his development long-term. But it also exposes weaknesses aggressively.

Furthermore, Red Bull currently hold a minority stake ownership in Leeds United and if the player himself is attempting to force a move, perhaps the link between both clubs can finally pay dividends beyond a front of shirt sponsor. A friendly between both sides has already been announced for August 8th this summer. Perhaps we’ll see Farke pull Bitshiabu to one side afterwards, in the same way he spoke at length to Okafor at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin last summer.

PREMIER LEAGUE TRANSLATION

Physically, he already looks suited to the Premier League. His size, mobility, and recovery defending already suit Premier League football naturally. The question is not “can he physically cope?” The question is “can his tactical consistency mature quickly enough?” Because Premier League transitions punish spacing errors, hesitation, and concentration lapses brutally.

WHAT HE COULD BECOME

If his development continues correctly he could genuinely become an elite recovery CB, a dominant transition defender, a high-level Premier League athlete, and a modern high-line left CB. The ceiling absolutely exists.

But at this point it remains projection rather than guarantee.

WORST-CASE OUTCOME

He fails to live up to the early promise and becomes an athletic defender who never fully develops positional consistency, becomes overly reactive, and remains tactically unstable. At the top level, the difference between a great athlete and a great defender is usually positioning and decision-making.

FUNNY EXCUSE TO SIGN HIM

I’m sure the recruitment department won’t factor this into their thinking, but I recently saw somebody online spell Joe Rodon as “Rodan”. If Leeds actually sign El Chadaille Bitshiabu this summer, there’s a genuine possibility parts of the fanbase simply won’t survive the spelling attempt. Which, admittedly, might do wonders for my position on the season ticket waiting list.

STRENGTHS

• Elite physical profile
• Recovery pace
• Defending large spaces
• Left-footed balance
• 1v1 defending upside
• Transition defending
• Ball carrying
• Aerial potential

WEAKNESSES

• Positional consistency
• Tactical maturity
• Concentration phases
• Defensive timing
• Can rely too heavily on recovery athleticism
• Distribution slightly overrated publicly
• Attitude 

FINAL VERDICT

El Chadaille Bitshiabu is not currently the finished article. Nor is he merely hype. He is one of the more physically gifted young centre-backs in European football because the combination of his pace, size, and ability to recover dangerous situations gives him enormous potential. However, his long-term success will depend almost entirely upon whether positional maturity, anticipation, and structural discipline develop to match the athletic tools already present. That combination will determine whether Leeds would be signing a physically impressive project or a future elite-level modern centre-back. 

The talent ceiling here is obvious. The question is whether Leeds are prepared to live with the developmental chaos that comes with it, or whether this summer calls for something safer, steadier, and more immediately polished. With the link between both clubs, a loan to buy might be the perfect option for Leeds. We get to sample the goods, and it allows us to invest much needed funds into other areas of the squad.

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