Tarik Muharemovic is much more than a brilliant defender - Leeds United might soon have one of Europe's best

Leeds United centre-back Tarik Muharemovic came in for huge praise during this week’s episode of the YEP’s Inside Elland Road podcast.

Muharemovic enjoyed another excellent defensive performance on Saturday as Leeds beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0. The Bosnian international’s 14 defensive contributions were the joint-most on the pitch while he won six of his seven duels and played 12 line breaking passes.

Some incredible statistics regarding Muharemovic emerged after the win, with Opta’s Jonny Cooper posting on X that the centre-back has by far the most clearances and headed clearances in the Premier League. Another post from Opta’s Jamie Kemp revealed that the 23-year-old had completed 10-plus clearances and 10-plus line-breaking passes for a fourth time.

Reflecting on the stats, YEP reporter Kyle Newbould told the Inside Elland Road podcast: “Leeds had so much sustained pressure because whatever Tottenham were doing, trying to go long and get out, either him or Nico Elvedi were always winning the first contact, winning the duels.

“It just goes to show that while he gets massively praised - and he was absolutely brilliant on Saturday - for his defensive work, he's so much more than just a brilliant box defender. He's got that Pascal Struijk level of being able to play a ball out and being able to punch a ball through the lines or spray a big diagonal across.

“And it really sets Leeds up going forward for attacks. £34million just looks better every single week.”

Fellow YEP reporter Lee Sobot was blown away by Muharemovic’s performance as full-time approached on Saturday. With Leeds 1-0 up and Tottenham pushing to equalise, they were kept at arm’s length with almost every attempt to create a chance snuffed out.

“There was a period towards the end of the second half when Spurs were trying to get back into the game, and literally every ball into the box was headed clear,” Lee said. “He was like a magnet. It was absolutely incredible. He's obviously a very, very special player.

“Daniel Farke said a few weeks ago to chill out basically. He’d only played a few games and it was early in the season, that it would be different if it was three or four seasons. But we're not going to chill out about him. There’s absolutely no doubt about it.”

Still only 23 and with one full season of top-flight football under his belt, Muharemovic still has loads of room to improve. And Inside Elland Road podcast host Chris O’Connor believes Leeds could soon have an elite-level European centre-back.

“I don't think we fully realise what we've got on our hands,” he added. “I think this is one of the best centre backs in Europe, potentially.

“If we get three or four seasons out of him, I'd be so happy. He's playing so well, you're already thinking, are they going to start circling? But if they are, they're going to have to pay big money for him now.”