"In a heartbeat" - Leeds United, Crysencio Summerville claim made after West Ham switch | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit discusses life at Elland Road after Crysencio Summerville's summer exit to West Ham.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Given Crysencio Summerville's impact at Leeds United last season, it felt inevitable that the winger was destined for greater things in the 2024-25 campaign and beyond, which led him to a move to West Ham in the summer.

Heading into June, the Dutchman was inarguably one of the most valuable assets among Daniel Farke's ranks and a player who appeared destined for another crack at the top-flight over a second season of Championship football.

Concerns were raised about the Whites in the summer when they lost over £100 million worth of talent. Archie Gray, Summerville and Georginio Rutter all left to go to Premier League sides, leaving Leeds with a lack of quality compared to the squad that they fielded in the previous campaign.

The Championship Player of the Year is perhaps the greatest loss, though. He was subject to interest from several Premier League teams, including West Ham. His match-winning ability was a key reason for Leeds' third-placed finish.

Leeds' £1.3 million signing from Feyenoord started in Leeds' academy, but relegation saw him develop rapidly in the second tier, where he made himself one of the best forwards in the division last season.

He scored 21 goals and provided 10 assists, and such form from a then 22-year-old winger was never going to go unnoticed from clubs around Europe. Sure enough, after a summer of speculation, he secured a move to West Ham for a reported fee in excess of £25 million plus add-ons, as per BBC Sport.

It brought an end to a four-year stay in West Yorkshire, and Leeds had to work hard to replace he and Rutter. Farke's side brought in the likes of Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon alongside the returning Brenden Aaronson in a bid to replace the output of two mercurial talents.

The verdict on life at Leeds following Summerville's West Ham departure

We asked Football League World's resident Whites fan pundit Kris Smith for his thoughts on whether Leeds are currently missing the 23-year-old winger at Elland Road in the 2024/25 season.

He said: "Summerville was crowned as the best player in the Championship last season, and rightly so as well.

"I think, with that, it would be foolish to suggest Leeds don't miss him or someone of that quality, and the same goes for Georginio Rutter.

"Any team that loses their best player is going to suffer, to a certain degree. But I don't think Leeds are necessarily looking back with any regret and thinking we're in a horrid position without Summerville on the left-wing.

"We're still one of the highest scoring teams in the division, and we are up there for creating the most chances in the league without Summerville.

"We share the goals around a lot as well. It does seem as though Farke is finding a lot more balance in the attack as well, rather than what we saw last season.

"That was where the ball was funneled towards Summerville every attack. But, of course, if someone said to me now that we could take Summerville back, then I'd have him in a heartbeat.

"Although I don't think we're exactly looking dire in terms of options since he left us."

The sale of Summerville came as a huge blow to Farke, who lost one of the most important parts of his first team squad. The Dutchman excelled in the second division and was key to the promotion push.

Having impressed in flashes in the Premier League, there was always a chance he could explode last season, but not many would have expected him to become as key as he has been. Summerville would have been a vital part of the team had they been promoted at Wembley, but his individual brilliance helped get them there in the first place.

West Ham have also invested a lot in their squad this summer in multiple positions, and with Julen Lopetegui at the helm, the club will be eyeing a return to Europe, given their strength in depth, so it made sense for Summerville as the next step in his career.

However, Leeds arguably have the best set of wingers and wide forwards in the league, with Ramazani, Solomon, Dan James, Willy Gnonto, and Brenden Aaronson all capable of operating out wide to a high level in the second tier, and they are the envy of many of their Championship peers for having such strength in depth.