Ilia GruevCM#44

Leeds·Premier League·Midfield - Defensive Midfield

26 years(06/05/2000)1,85mleftBulgaria, GermanyContract until 30/06/2027

6.78Rating25 matches in 12 months

€12.00mMarket value#16 in Leeds · #350 in Premier League

Last 5rating per match

World Cup Qu15.116.7

World Cup Qu18.116.9

Premier Leag29.116.9

Premier Leag03.126.7

Premier Leag06.126.6

Form, 12 monthsaverage rating per month

6.80Nov

6.60Dec

6.80Jan

6.80Feb

6.50Mar

6.80Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

7.20Sep

6.60Oct

Club matchesLeeds

Team page →

Recent results

20 Sept · 14:00English Premier LeagueH

Crystal Palace—Prediction 14 Sept · 20:00English Premier LeagueH

Newcastle—Prediction 09 Sept · 20:00League CupA

Chelsea—Prediction 05 Sept · 15:00English Premier LeagueA

BrightonD1:1Prediction 30 Aug · 14:00English Premier LeagueH

BrentfordD1:1Prediction

Key statsUEFA Nations League

Goals0

xG0.170.07 / 90

Assists0

xA0.070.03 / 90

Shots31.15 / 90

Shots on target133%

Key passes20.77 / 90

Pass accuracy87.0%

Values per 90 minutes are shown under the totals.

Player profileattributes and traits

Player Position average

Attacking50

Technique52

Tactical50

Defending51

Creativity54

Strengths

Discipline

Weaknesses

No outstanding weaknesses

Player positions: MC · DM

Positions on the pitch

Percentiles per 90per 90 minutes vs positional peers of the league

AttackingPer 90 · Percentile

Goals0.009%

xG0.035%

Shots0.473%

Shots on target0.076%

Conversion %08%

Big chances missed0.0758%

Dribbles0.4026%

Fouls won0.6110%

PlaymakingPer 90 · Percentile

Assists0.2086%

xA0.0623%

Key passes0.7425%

Big chances created0.1340%

Accurate passes35.2848%

Pass accuracy %89.590%

Final third passes5.401%

Long balls1.2843%

Crosses0.2742%

DefendingPer 90 · Percentile

Tackles1.6233%

Interceptions1.0160%

Clearances1.2852%

Blocks0.4078%

Aerial duels won0.9459%

Duels won3.519%

Recoveries3.449%

Dribbled past1.2812%

Fouls1.0856%

Errors leading to goal0.0059%

What a percentile means

The percentile shows what share of players of the same position in this league the player beats on a per-90-minute metric. 90% — better than nine out of ten peers; 50% — the league median. Per 90 minutes removes the effect of playing time.

For fouls, offsides, being dribbled past and goals conceded the scale is inverted: a higher percentile means fewer of them.

vs 81 midfielders · Premier League · season 25/26 · min 270′ · player 1334′

Similar playersPremier League · midfielders · season 25/26

81%

Noah SadikiSunderland · Midfield - Central Midfield6.78Rating0G1A21age 79%

Alexis Mac AllisterLiverpool · Midfield - Central Midfield6.71Rating2G4A27age 79%

Will HughesCrystal Palace · Midfield - Central Midfield6.79Rating0G0A31age 77%

Ibrahim SangaréNott'm Forest · Midfield - Defensive Midfield6.96Rating2G2A28age 77%

Nicolás DomínguezNott'm Forest · Midfield - Central Midfield6.82Rating1G1A28age 76%

Carlos BalebaMan Utd · Midfield - Defensive Midfield6.64Rating0G0A22age

Profile match = 100 − mean gap of per-90 percentiles across 27 metrics of this position; players of the same league, position group and season with at least 270 minutes.

Availability

StatusInjuredsince 22.05.2026

Missed matches3last 12 months

National teamBulgaria27 caps · 0 goals

Contract until30/06/2027

Market value€12.00mHighest: €12.00m (09/03/2026)

Season statsSeason 26/27

Competition	Team	Season	Apps	Min	Rating	G	A	G+A	YC	RC
UEFA Nations League	Bulgaria	26/27	3	235	7.00	—	—	0	—	—

Transfers5

Date	Season	From	To	Fee	Market value
31/08/2023	23/24	Werder Bremen	Leeds	€6.50m	€3.00m
01/07/2019	19/20	Werder U19	Werder Bremen	-	-
01/07/2017	17/18	W. Bremen U17	Werder U19	-	-
01/07/2016	16/17	W. Bremen Yth.	W. Bremen U17	-	-
01/07/2015	15/16	RW Erfurt Yth.	W. Bremen Yth.	free transfer	-

Market value

€12.00m Current€12.00m Highest · 09/03/202603/06/2026 Last change

28.07.201903.06.2026

#1 Bulgaria#81 Defensive Midfield#16 Leeds#350 Premier League#1.044 Worldwide#114 Year 2000

Value history

Date	Age	Club	Value
28/07/2019	19	SV Werder Bremen	€200k
17/12/2019	19	SV Werder Bremen	€200k
16/09/2020	20	SV Werder Bremen	€200k
10/02/2021	20	SV Werder Bremen	€400k
09/06/2021	21	SV Werder Bremen	€400k
15/12/2021	21	SV Werder Bremen	€800k
16/06/2022	22	SV Werder Bremen	€1.00m
09/11/2022	22	SV Werder Bremen	€3.00m
22/06/2023	23	SV Werder Bremen	€3.00m
27/10/2023	23	Leeds United	€4.50m
21/12/2023	23	Leeds United	€4.00m
07/03/2024	23	Leeds United	€5.00m
24/05/2024	24	Leeds United	€5.00m
30/12/2024	24	Leeds United	€5.00m
27/05/2025	25	Leeds United	€5.00m
17/10/2025	25	Leeds United	€8.00m
09/12/2025	25	Leeds United	€9.00m
09/03/2026	25	Leeds United	€12.00m
03/06/2026	26	Leeds United	€12.00m

xG Statisticsall seasons

Season	League	Club	Apps	Min	G	xG	npxG	A	xA	Sh	KP	xGChain
2025	EPL	Leeds	23	1310	0	0.73	0.73	3	1.49	7	11	3.58

What xG, npxG, xA and xGChain mean

xG Expected goals: How many goals an average finisher would score from the same shots. A 0.30 xG shot goes in about 3 times in 10. Goals above xG mean efficient finishing; below — a cold streak or poor finishing.
npxG Non-penalty xG: The same xG without penalties. A penalty alone is worth about 0.76 xG, so npxG is a cleaner view of open-play and set-piece chances.
xA Expected assists: The xG of the shots that followed the player's passes. High xA with few assists means teammates missed good chances.
xGChain xG chain: Team xG from every possession the player touched. It shows involvement in build-up, not only the shot or the final pass, so a deep midfielder can rank high without scoring.
KP Key passes: Passes that led directly to a shot — the volume behind xA.