da brwin： Leeds United right-back Luke Ayling took part in a Q&A session on Twitter earlier this week where he named the best player he’s ever played with at Elland Road.
What’s he said?
da bet nacional： The 28-year-old has been at the club since 2016 when he was signed by former manager Garry Monk from Bristol City, so there have been a good four seasons worth of players to choose from.
But it is a current member of Marcelo Bielsa’s side that takes the acclaim – Pablo Hernandez, who arrived initially on loan the very same summer.
Ayling didn’t even have to think about it when he was asked the question, he said:
“Pablo. I don’t think anybody comes close to the stuff that he can do on a football pitch, the skill level that he has got and what he’s done in his career. I signed a few weeks after him, so I’ve played pretty much every game that I have played with Pablo. I’ve had him in front of me for three years and it was the easiest thing I’ve had to do – pass to him, then go round him and see what happens. Yeah, Pablo’s the best player I’ve played with in general. I think talent-wise, nobody comes close to him.”
Luke Ayling, Leeds right-back.
Age is nothing but a number
The Leeds regular could have picked anyone ranging from the likes of Kalvin Phillips to Chris Wood, so it’s certainly telling that he’s selected the veteran Spaniard.
Later that season, Hernandez was described as the most creative player in the second tier by the Yorkshire Evening Post, and in 150 appearances for the club, he’s provided 33 goals and 36 assists, per Transfermarkt.
For away day veterans only: Can you name all of these defunct stadiums?
Despite being on the worse side of 34, the midfield maestro has continued to contribute this term, featuring in 28 matches where he has directly contributed to 12 goals.
Elland Road can expect to see a lot more of him too, having signed a contract extension until the summer of 2022, and promotion to the top-flight will trigger an extra year on top of that.
No player in the Leeds squad averages more key passes per game whilst he ranks in the top three for shots and dribbles each match also, via WhoScored.
Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Leeds discussion going on in the Vital Leeds Forum! Click here to get involved!
AND in other news, Assessing Leeds’ best academy products of this millennium…