Daniel Farke's glowing Ilia Gruev verdict acts as transfer message to Leeds United

Leeds United look set to receive interest in Ilia Gruev this summer but might be minded to keep him after speaking with manager Daniel Farke.

Gruev is the latest Leeds player to be linked with a move away this summer, with reports in Germany naming Borussia Dortmund among a number of Bundesliga clubs eyeing a potential deal. The Champions League finalists are thought to have sent scouting chief Sven Mislintat to watch the 24-year-old during last month’s Championship play-off final defeat against Southampton at Wembley.

Having signed Gruev from Werder Bremen for just £4million last summer, an understandable school of thought would be to cash in and bank a decent profit if an appropriate bid comes in. But the Bulgarian has shown himself to be an excellent option in central midfield and a trusted option for Farke, who arguably would have played Gruev in every game since mid-January were it not for an injury picked up in March.

Gruev’s impact on Leeds was by no means instant, with the midfielder spending much of his first few months in West Yorkshire watching Ethan Ampadu perform his role perfectly. But that did little to unnerve the summer arrival and after breaking into the team at the start of the year, he quickly became central to a 15-game unbeaten league run and Farke was quick to heap praise on his player.

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“More important than the talking is the pitch and you could sense what type of character he is when you watch him play because when he is on the pitch, no one on the pitch, both from our team or the other team, covers more distance,” Farke said of Gruev earlier this season. “He is always solid, always reliable and plays in possession with very rare mistakes. He is good on the ball, disciplined, professional and has a top, top work ethic.

"If you are like this on the pitch, you can imagine off the pitch he is exactly like this. From the first day he walked in, he was modest, humble, hard working and also patient. He waited for his chance, but was the first one in and last one off the training pitch. He was always interested and in with our sports science team to add a bit more strength to his body. He is one of the most professional players I have ever worked with. He is definitely on the right path and we are happy that we have him.”

There is more to consider than what Farke thinks of Gruev as a player, of course, with the financial issues at play meaning Leeds would be forgiven for taking advantage of the chance to make good profit. Defensive reinforcements, and the return to fitness of Pascal Struijk, could also see Ampadu pushed into his more natural midfield role which could see last season’s early issues resurface.

But there is no doubting Gruev’s ability to influence games at Championship-level and with Farke so big on having the right mentality in his squad, the Bulgarian’s resilience in the face of limited minutes is an encouraging strength. Leeds will have to make some tough decisions this summer, as chairman Paraag Marathe has already admitted, but the decision-makers at Elland Road will be keen to take advice from their manager and that could see interest in Gruev staved off.