'Captain material' - Leeds United man set to be awarded with international armband after Elland Road impact

Wales boss Rob Page has described the Leeds midfielder as 'captain material' ahead of the nation's friendly fixtures against Gibraltar and Slovakia this month.

Page's side visit the Algarve to face Gibraltar before travelling to Trnava where they will meet Slovakia on June 9. Ampadu is expected to be handed the international armband on the back of comments made by the Wales head coach this week, via the Press Association.

“Ethan’s had the armband at Leeds and he is definitely captain material.

“He’s shown that at Leeds and he’s definitely one for the future.

“You look at the players we’ve got in the squad and we’re spoiled a little bit, even the younger ones have got experience,” Page said.

Ampadu has won 51 caps for his country but is yet to captain Wales. Since Gareth Bale's retirement in 2023, Aaron Ramsey has been the national team's skipper, but injury to the veteran midfielder and vice captain Ben Davies means Ampadu is next in line to lead the team out.

“I saw a stat that out of all the European footballers Ethan has played the most minutes this season,” Page added.

“That doesn’t surprise me. He’s robust, has got the quality you want, and is not afraid to experience different cultures and different leagues.

“He’s gone to Germany and Italy and played in the Premier League.

“Those experiences have made him the person and player he is today. He’s an absolute gentleman.”

Ampadu remains contracted to Leeds until the summer of 2027. The 23-year-old made appearances in all 46 of Leeds' league games this past season as well as a further eight outings in the play-offs and cup competitions.