With Nico Elvedi’s move from Borussia Mönchengladbach to Leeds United now confirmed, here’s what fans of the Premier League club can expect from the Swiss international.
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After 11 years at Borussia Mönchengladbach, Nico Elvedi has opted for a new challenge in England, joining German coach Daniel Farke at Leeds United.
As Elvedi had entered the final year of his contract at Borussia-Park and had been consistently linked with a move to England in recent years, his departure came as little surprise to Bundesliga observers.
Among those familiar with the Swiss international is Florian Först, a scouting expert at German football site Kickfieber.dewho highlights “consistency” as the 29-year-old centre-back’s standout quality.
“Elvedi’s game rarely sees wild fluctuations in performance. For several years now, the 29-year-old has played at a consistently solid to high level,” Först told Bulinews.com before elaborating on the player’s strengths:
“His good tackling stats are striking, as the centre-back won around 67 percent of his direct duels last season, which is an absolutely solid figure. Furthermore, the Swiss player is known for a very fair style of play, rarely committing fouls and consequently picking up few cards. He contests duels intelligently and with great composure, while also utilizing his ability to anticipate the game to simply intercept the ball.
“Beyond that, his defensive metrics are solid, if not extraordinarily high. Ultimately, Elvedi impresses with a strong all-around package. He also knows what to do with the ball and was one of the best central defenders in the Bundesliga last season with progressive carries. It is also worth noting that he secured second place in the entire league for passing accuracy, boasting a completion rate of 92.48 percent.
“His long balls also found a recipient over 57 percent of the time, which was also among the better figures in the Bundesliga. He is also constantly striving to improve his progressive play, though there is still significant room for growth in this area.”
Overall, Först believes Elvedi has few obvious weaknesses, although he highlights the player’s progressive play and speed as two areas that could potentially cause him problems in the Premier League.
“Given his well-rounded overall profile, there are few weaknesses to identify regarding this move to the Premier League. Besides the need for optimization in progressive passing, where he already performed at a higher level a few years ago and which of course always depends on the playing style of a team, his speed could cause him problems,” Först said.
“Elvedi, with his top speed of 33.81 km/h, is not slow, but it is not among the elite and must also adapt to the generally higher pace of play in the Premier League. While this might make his initial matches somewhat difficult, Elvedi has already played at the highest level, including the Champions League and World Cups, so he should be able to adjust quickly.”
Overall, though, Först believes Leeds fans have every reason to be pleased with the signing.
“In summary, Leeds has signed an established international center-back for a fee of around €10 million. He’s a player who impresses with a well-rounded skill set and very few weaknesses. As things stand, this appears to be a successful move for all parties involved, one that should particularly bolster Farke’s defense,” he concluded.