Leeds United injury update after season-ending blow as midfielder details progress
Ilia Gruev missed the final few weeks of Leeds United's 2025/26 campaign.
Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev is ‘making progress’ in his recovery from a knee injury that saw him miss the end of last season.
Gruev missed Leeds’ final six games after suffering a meniscus injury in training ahead of a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth in April. The Bulgarian watched from the sidelines as his teammates mathematically secured Premier League safety and also sat out an FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley.
It’s a second serious knee injury for Gruev while at Leeds, the Bulgarian also missing three months during the 2024/25 Championship title-winning campaign. He is expected to report back for pre-season next month and has spoken about his fitness situation in an interview with former club Werder Bremen.
“I'm feeling better and making progress,” Gruev said. “I'm currently in Sofia, Bulgaria, combining rehabilitation with time with my family. It's unfortunate that I got injured again, but it's part of the sport.
“It was a shame that I couldn't help the team in the last few games. But you have to keep going, keep pushing, keep working at it, and then it will get better. But of course, it's difficult for any athlete when they can't do what they love most.”
Up until the point of his injury, Gruev had settled well as a Premier League player with Leeds. Still tasked with competing against club captain Ethan Ampadu for minutes, he only started 15 top-flight matches but came off the bench another eight times and proved an important squad member.
Ilia Gruev on winning national award while at Leeds United
That Premier League exposure will have contributed to Gruev’s rising status in his home country. The 26-year-old was recently named Bulgaria’s Player of the Year for 2025, having previously finished as runner-up behind winger Kiril Despodov three years running.
“I'm very pleased that my achievements are being recognized in my home country,” he said. “It's something special to be named Footballer of the Year - number 1 - in your own country. I'm happy about that because it shows that people appreciate what I do and recognise the achievements I've made.”
Unfortunately for Gruev, there was no chance to represent Bulgaria at the World Cup even if he'd have been fit. The European nation failed to qualify for the expanded tournament after finishing bottom of their four-team qualifying group with one win and five defeats in six.
Like many a Leeds fan, Gruev will instead be watching from home as teammates Brenden Aaronson, Noah Okafor, Gabriel Gudmundsson and Ao Tanaka take to the stage. But he’s not expecting anyone to come back to West Yorkshire with a winner’s medal.
Quizzed on his winners for the tournament, Gruev responded: “I could imagine Argentina winning the World Cup again. However, France also has an incredibly strong squad.”