Summerville shining for Leeds after succeeding Raphinha at Elland Road
Following the departures of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips this summer, there was something of a squad overhaul at Leeds United. The recruitment team brought in Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams, Marc Roca, Rasmus Kristensen, Wilfried Gnonto and Joel Robles as they looked to assemble a squad Jesse Marsch could work with.
With the exception of Robles, a backup goalkeeper, all have caught the eye in their own right, though there have been varying levels of success. However, the star of the show over recent weeks, as Leeds have climbed out of the relegation zone and into mid-table, is a player who has been on the club’s books since 2020.
The 21-year-old left Feyenoord to move to Elland Road without making a senior appearance for the club. He was loaned to FC Dordrecht during the 2018/19 campaign and then spent the 2019/20 season on loan with Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag before opting to move to England.
Summerville had to wait a year for his Premier League debut. In his first two seasons with the club, he’d managed just nine first-team outings across all competitions and there were reports in the summer claiming he could be set for a loan move, with Nottingham Forest a proposed destination.
However, the young winger instead penned a new deal and it was during this announcement that it was revealed he had claimed the No.10 shirt, recently vacated by Raphinha.
To say it was a surprise would be an understatement. It is now looking like an inspired decision.
Summerville netted the winner against Bournemouth one week after scoring the decisive goal against Liverpool at Anfield. These two game-deciding goals have lifted Leeds up to 12th position in the Premier League, three points clear of the relegation zone with a game in hand.
With his goal against the Cherries, Summerville become the youngest player to score in three consecutive English top-flight matches for Leeds since Alan Smith managed it in August 2001. His other strike in this run was in stoppage time against Fulham in a 3-2 defeat.
This has been a case of the risk being worth the reward, for both the player and the club.
Leeds took the risk to allow Daniel James to leave on loan, thus promoting Summerville up the pecking order. The winger took the risk to remain at Elland Road despite there being plenty of interest in his services and it put him in a prime position to make the most of Sinisterra’s stop-start debut campaign. Injuries and suspension have prevented the Colombian from showing exactly why he was Feyenoord’s record sale
The 2022/23 campaign has been a slow-burner for Summerville. He’s made just three starts and had racked up just 378 mins in the Premier League. But he has made the most of his time on the pitch and as we head into the break for the World Cup, it is difficult to envisage a Leeds XI without him in it.
Not only is he scoring goals, but he is also creating chances. Against Bournemouth, Summerville finished the game having created four opportunities for teammates as well as winning the penalty that Rodrigo converted.
No player for the hosts attempted more dribbles on Saturday. He also won 100% of his tackles and made an interception, highlighting the fact he is just as effective in defensive situations as he is in attacking moments.
Perhaps the most intriguing stat from Summerville’s limited minutes this season, however, is the shots taken one. He has attempted eight in total and six of these have arrived from within the penalty area. Remarkably, the fleet-footed winger has converted 50% of his chances inside the box.
That might not be sustainable in the long-term and the sample size isn’t the largest, but those numbers are encouraging from a Leeds point of view.
He isn’t reliant on volume for his goals. The 21-year-old just has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. One goal from one shot against Bournemouth and a goal from two shots against Liverpool. He’s making his moments matter.
Following the winner against Liverpool, Marsch said he wants more from Summerville. If the current dynamic is anything to go off, the more responsibility placed on his shoulders, the more Leeds will get from the youngster.
The weight of succeeding Raphinha would’ve been too much for some but Summerville is thriving.
