Gruev Breaks Silence on Future as Werder Bremen Interest Emerges
Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev has insisted he is fully committed to life at Elland Road, brushing aside any speculation of a return to Germany as he continues to settle into English football.
The Bulgarian international, who spent eight years developing at Werder Bremen before making the switch to Leeds in August 2023, has made it clear that his focus remains firmly on his current club rather than any potential move away.
Gruev joined the Whites while they were still competing in the Championship, and he has since been part of a transformative period at the club. Leeds secured promotion back to the Premier League in 2025 after winning the Championship title, marking a significant step forward in their long-term rebuilding project.
Now in the top flight, Daniel Farke’s side have managed to stabilize themselves, finishing 14th in their most recent Premier League campaign a result that exceeded early expectations, especially given that many had tipped the newly promoted side for an immediate relegation battle.
For Gruev personally, the season has been steady but interrupted. The 26-year-old featured in 26 matches across all competitions, accumulating 1,519 minutes before an injury in April brought his campaign to an early end. He is currently in Bulgaria, recovering while spending time with family.
Speaking in an interview with Werder Bremen’s official website, Gruev reflected on both his development in England and Leeds United’s wider ambitions, offering insight into a club that he believes is still evolving.
“This season, we were the underdogs,” he explained. “Many expected us to go down again, especially since all three promoted teams in recent years have struggled to stay up.”
“We’re happy that we managed to stay up, stay consistent, collect points, and finish with a comfortable gap above the relegation zone.”
He went on to highlight the sense of progress within the club, emphasising that Leeds are not simply aiming to survive in the Premier League but to grow into a more established force over time.
“It’s a project that is constantly developing,” Gruev said. “We want to build on it and keep improving. You can feel that the people running the club have bigger ambitions. As a player, that’s something you want to be part of even when I joined in the Championship.”
According to him, Leeds’ long-term vision is clear, with infrastructure improvements and continued squad development forming part of the plan.
“The club wants to keep progressing, and even the stadium will be expanded in the near future. The aim is to become a stable Premier League club again, which is not easy. But Leeds have the fanbase, the energy, and the resources to get there.”
When asked whether a move back to his former league was possible, he remained open-ended but grounded.
“You can always imagine many things,” he admitted. “But I really value the Premier League, and I enjoy playing here a lot. I still follow the Bundesliga, of course, but my main focus is in England.”
The midfielder remains under contract at Leeds United until 2027, with an estimated market value of around €12 million. However, his long-term future could become a talking point if contract negotiations do not progress in the coming months.
For now, though, Gruev appears settled and content in England, with a clear desire to continue growing as part of Leeds’ long-term project under Daniel Farke.
Whether that future eventually includes an extended stay at Elland Road will depend on how both player and club choose to move forward — but at this stage, all signs point to a midfielder fully invested in the Premier League journey.
