'Everything changed' - Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville makes vow as he pens new deal

A summer 2020 signing from Feyenoord, Summerville was 18 when he joined Leeds yet had already tasted life in the Dutch second tier thanks to a loan spell with FC Dordrecht. He also experienced the Eredivisie when Feyenoord loaned him out to ADO Den Haag.

There is, however, a leap in standard between the Dutch top flight and the Premier League, as he readily admits, so there has been much for him to work on over the past two years.

"It's a big difference between Holland and England," he said.

"For myself when I came here everything changed and every day I learned something new. For me, still, every day [I'm] learning new things."

Summerville has had to bide his time at Leeds, despite showing over the past two years that Under 23s football is a level below his ability.

He did make some inroads last season when it came to senior football, playing in four of Leeds' opening nine Premier League fixtures as a substitute. An eight-game wait ensued before a 50-minute appearance off the bench at Arsenal in December and that was the last senior action he saw until Jesse Marsch gave him a seven-minute cameo in the April win at Watford.

There may well have been more appearances in the relegation scrap had it not been for an ankle injury sustained in training before the very next Premier League outing.

This summer he has been involved in Marsch’s plans and travelled to Australia for the pre-season tour. Although Luis Sinisterra arrived in a £21m move from Summerville’s old club Feyenoord, the Colombian international picked up a hamstring issue in the Perth game against Crystal Palace. That, along with Daniel James’ suspension for the top flight opener against Wolves on Saturday, has bumped Summerville up the pecking order.

Director of football Victor Orta believes this season is the time for Summerville to 'kick on' and make a greater impact at first team level and Leeds have backed the youngster's potential in the form of a new four-year contract.

Summerville is over the moon to extend his stay and with the help of the senior pros is working to contribute in the way Orta insists he can.

"I'm very happy for myself and my family," he said.

"I couldn't imagine to renew my contract for such a big club like this. As a young kid from Rotterdam when I came to Leeds, I couldn't imagine to sign a new contract. I'm very, very happy and ready to give my all.

"We are one group together and all the guys are helping us a lot. For me now I'm focusing now on when I come on the pitch to make an impact in the game. For myself to work hard in training and when I get a chance to start I have to prove what I can do."