Leeds United first-team pair in full agreement on 'big' summer transfer as 'special player' welcomed
Leeds United kicked their summer transfer window off by signing Harry Wilson on a free transfer.
Leeds United defender Jaka Bijol expects summer signing Harry Wilson to be a ‘big’ player next season.
Wilson joined Leeds on a free transfer earlier this month following the expiration of his Fulham contract. The winger almost moved to Elland Road last summer before going on to register 10 goals and seven assists in 36 Premier League games.
Leeds beat off competition from Premier League rivals to land Wilson, who was Fulham’s 2025/26 Player of the Season. And Bijol expects that quality to shine through in an environment full of familiar faces - most of them Welsh compatriots.
"We have been watching him last year,” Bijol told LUTV of new teammate Wilson. “He brings a lot of quality and just happy to have him.
“He knows so many guys already from the national team as well so I think he is going to be a big one for us. And like I said, happy to have him, and just to see him on the pitch as well.”
Wilson joined up with the Leeds squad for pre-season testing at Leeds Beckett University this week. Videos posted by the club show the new signing getting to know a few of those he’s yet to play alongside, Bijol included.
Another to have experienced Wilson’s quality as an opponent is James Justin, who could come directly up against the Welshman if playing left-back in training. And as an experienced defender, he knows the level of his new Leeds teammate is not easy to find.
“We know the type of player he is and what he has done over the last few seasons,” the defender added. “He is a special player and he has got that quality that is hard to come by, to be honest.
“Hopefully he is a good addition to the squad and keeps us going in the right direction. Obviously, he knows loads of the lads already so I am sure he will bed in properly in no time.”
Harry Wilson vs Brenden Aaronson stats
Wilson was brought in to fill the right-wing/No.10 gap Leeds wanted last summer and is expected to compete with Brenden Aaronson for that role. Based on last season’s stats, the Welshman will provide Daniel Farke with a higher level of attacking quality.
Leeds’ new signing proved much more effective in the final third, with Wilson averaging a goal or assist every 158 minutes in the Premier League while Aaronson’s average was a contribution every 274 minutes. He also averaged 2.61 shots per 90 minutes compared to the American’s 1.72.
An interesting point to note is that Wilson’s 10 goals came from an Expected Goals (xG) of just 5.83, making him the third-highest over-performer across the Premier League. Only Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo (17 goals from 11.09 xG) and Eli Junior-Kroupi of Bournemouth (13 goals from 8.35 xG) out-performed the new Leeds man.
Wilson also managed a couple more assists than his main positional rival last season but the pair produced similar underlying numbers in terms of creativity. The former Fulham man created 1.3 chances and 0.27 big chances per 90 minutes last season while current Aaronson created 1.24 chances and 0.33 big chances.