Leeds United will have six representatives competing at the U21 European Championships this summer. The competition, which gets underway on June 21 and will be held in Romania and Georgia, will see some of the continents brightest young stars competing for the chance to get their hands on international silverware.
Some of Leeds’ most promising talents will be involved for their respective nations, with Wilfried Gnonto, Illan Meslier, Crysencio Summerville, Charlie Cresswell, Leo Hjelde and Kristoffer Klaesson all travelling to Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, games aren’t scheduled to be broadcast on UK TV, but they are due to be streamed online through Uefa.tv.
Here’s all you need to know about the six Leeds players competing at the U21s Euros.
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Charlie Cresswell
Nation: England
Group fixtures: Czech Republic (22 Jun), Israel (25 Jun), Germany (28 Jun)
Chances of winning (as per bet365): 6/1
Lee Carsley has been able to pick a very strong England squad this summer, with Emile Smith Rowe, Morgan Gibbs-White and Curtis Jones being amongst the most established players within the squad. Cresswell features in what is a deep defensive roster, which also includes Levi Colwill, who was recently asked to train with the senior England squad, Jarrad Branthwaite and Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
As such, nailing down a starting spot looks to be a challenge for Cresswell, but he’ll be keen to impress and treat the tournament as an audition ahead of a big year at Elland Road. The Three Lions are fancied to progress through their group, despite Germany being considered second favourites to win the competition outright.
England will be based in Georgia and a potential meeting with Summerville’s Netherlands awaits in the quarter-finals should they progress.
Crysencio Summerville
Nation: Netherlands
Group fixtures: Belgium (21 Jun), Portugal (24 Jun), Georgia (27 Jun)
Chances of winning: 12/1
Netherlands’ group certainly looks tricky. Not only do they face the hosts, but they must also take on Belgium and Portugal as they look to progress deep into the competition and repeat their final winning feats of 2006 and 2007.
Summerville made 28 Premier League appearances for Leeds last season and he will feel confident about claiming a starting spot for his nation and adding to the four U21s caps he has already earned. Ryan Gravenberch, Kenneth Taylor and Brian Brobbey are amongst the more high-profile names within the Dutch squad, but English football supporters may recognise the names of Ian Maatsen, who has just won promotion while on loan at Burnley from Chelsea, Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke and Kjell Scherpen and Liverpool’s Sepp van den Berg.
Wilfried Gnonto
Nation: Italy
Group fixtures: France (22 Jun), Switzerland (25 Jun), Norway (28 Jun)
Chances of winning: 7/1
Gnonto’s call-up to the U21s squad came as something of a surprise. The Italian was involved for the senior Italy side at the Nations League finals last week and, although he has never represented his country at U21 level, he will now travel to Romania to attempt to finish his season with silverware.
The Italians have won the competition on five separate occasions and given they have included eight players with senior caps to their names, they are fancied as one of the favourites to claim a sixth crown. Gnonto is the second youngest member of the squad but he’ll hope his superior experience and nous will help him to claim a starting spot under Paolo Nicolato.
Just getting out of the group looks a challenge for Italy, though, with France, Switzerland and Norway all being highly respected.
Illan Meslier
Nation: France
Group fixtures: Italy (22 Jun), Norway (25 Jun), Switzerland (28 Jun)
Chances of winning: 5/1
Meslier has been France U21s' first-choice goalkeeper for some time now, but it remains to be seen whether he will start between the sticks in Romania, given the way his season with Leeds ended. The 23-year-old was dropped by Sam Allardyce after a string of confidence-damaging displays over the course of the run-in.
He’ll fancy his chances to do enough, though, and while Spain are the favourites for the competition, France aren’t far behind on the odds list. The group stage will be a challenge, though, and he may find himself trying to prevent his clubmate Gnonto from scoring in their opener on Thursday night.
He’ll also come up against Hjelde and Klaesson when France take on Norway this weekend. Lille custodian Lucas Chevalier and Bristol City’s Stefan Bajic are Meslier’s competition in goal, while France have called up Michael Olise from Crystal Palace, Khephren Thuram of Nice and Arnaud Kalimuendo, who has been linked with a move to Leeds in the past.
Leo Hjelde and Kristoffer Klaesson
Nation: Norway
Group fixtures: Switzerland (22 Jun), France (25 Jun), Italy (Jun 28)
Chances of winning: 50/1
There’s no doubt about it, Norway face a challenge to get out of their group, but Hjelde and Klaesson will be doing all they can to provide an upset or two over the next week or so. Klaesson has been handed the number 12 shirt by Leif Gunnar Smerud, suggesting he might not be first choice between the sticks, but Hjelde will hoping the experience he picked up on loan at Rotherham United last season will put him in good stead.
The defender made 13 outings on loan at the Millers and he’s now due to return to Elland Road and play a role in the Championship next season. As such, he could be treating this tournament as a chance to catch the new Leeds head coach’s eye.
