Charlie Cresswell featured for Leeds last season, but it was decided in the summer that his development would be aided by a spell in the notoriously competitive Championship.
Many would have hoped for a successful spell away from the club, but few would've predicted the impact the 20 year old would have.
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A threat going forward
Highlighting a defender's offensive traits seems almost backwards, but Cresswell has been a threat going forward for Millwall. Many Leeds fans would agree that one of the weak points of the side comes from dead ball situations; corner kicks especially never seem like a fruitful endeavour due to a lack of presence in the box.
Cresswell has netted five times this season as well as assisting once, which is impressive for a seasoned defender, never mind one so early on in his career.
Being a force in the air and being able to command situations is an asset Leeds will be pleased Cresswell has exhibited this season, and will surely give them hope that in the coming seasons the young player could bring this to the Whites.
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Solid at the back
Standing at 6'2", Cresswell proved he was dependable at the back for Leeds United's youth teams in previous seasons, doing enough to earn a call up to the first team during the club's fight against relegation last season.
In the Championship this year, he has helped Millwall to seven clean sheets, which is not bad early on in his career.
A player of his physical stature should have no issues slotting into a Premier League side, should Leeds avoid the drop. If they find themselves looking at a season in the Championship, the case for playing Cresswell would become even stronger with him proving himself to be a valuable asset at that level.
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Leeds connection
Cresswell is the son of former Leeds player Richard Cresswell, who had a spell at the Yorkshire club between 2005 and 2007. Having this pre-existing connection to the club gives the player even further motivation to earn a place at Leeds United, which should work in the defender's favour when looking towards next season.
Having played for Leeds' youth sides since 2013, he has a long-standing connection to the club, and will know the infrastructure inside out.
It is an advantage that would see him settle into the first team following his loan spell this season, and may also make him club captain material in the future.
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Could he leave Leeds?
As well as becoming a standout performer for Leeds' youth sides, he has also starred for England at youth level, which is an indication of the potential he has.
He is an asset to Leeds, not just in terms of what he could bring to the team in the future, but from a financial standpoint too; his relative youth combined with his stature and performance this season will no doubt put him on a lot of clubs' radars.
Leeds United may therefore look to part ways with him; especially if they were to stay in the Premier League. They may look for a more high profile player who has already established themselves in a top league, rather than persevere with the development of the talented youngster.
Should they do that, there would undoubtedly be many clubs willing to develop him and willing to pay a high price to do so.
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Verdict
While all the signs show that Cresswell could make the step up to England's top flight, Leeds have many options to ponder during the summer. Should they stay up, the question will be whether the hierarchy think he is ready to play for the first team.
Should Leeds go down, surely he has done more than enough to warrant a chance to become part of the back line at the club. With his age and already impressive experience though, Leeds United may find it hard to keep hold of him.
His future could really depend on how the Whites fare in the run-in this season, and whether they attain Premier League status for a fourth consecutive season. Regardless, though, it is almost nailed on that Cresswell should enjoy a fruitful career towards the top end of the English game.