The versatile Stuart Dallas has extended his stay at Elland Road, signing a new three-year deal. Dallas is one of Leeds United’s longest-serving players, having arrived from Brentford in 2015.
Stuart Dallas Signs New Leeds Deal
Player of the Season
Leeds are one of the most impressive promoted sides in recent years. The 2019/20 Championship winners finished ninth in the Premier League, almost emulating Wolves’ 2018/19 class which qualified for Europa League football. Marcelo Bielsa has overseen great strides since arriving at Leeds in 2018, and Dallas has been one of his key players.
Indeed, Dallas has played across a variety of positions. From full-back to midfield, he has been a dependable option for Bielsa. He missed just one game in Leeds’ Championship-winning campaign. He started all 38 league games last season. In addition, he scored eight goals, including a brace against champions-elect Manchester City in April. He won the Goal of the Season award for that strike.
Dallas was elected Leeds’ Player of the Season for 2020/21. As a result, he ended Pablo Hernandez’s three-year reign as the winner of the award. He was also named Players’ Player of the Year – an award he picked up last season as well.
Long-Time Player Extending His Stay
Stuart Dallas has made 229 appearances for Leeds United. The 30-year old is a Northern Ireland international and has 56 caps for his country. With his new deal, he is set to stay at Leeds until 2024. If he sees out his contract, his time at the club would extend to nine years. Veterans Pablo Hernandez and Gaetano Berardi left the club this summer. North Macedonian full-back Ezgjan Alioski looks set to join them in leaving. Dallas is now one of the senior-most players at the club now, which is valuable.
Leeds will look to improve on last season’s performance. Their new signings such as Raphinha and Rodrigo have combined well with existing stars like Dallas, Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford. If his performances last season are anything to go by, Dallas will be a key player for Leeds in 2021/22.
His performances have been noted by pundits and fans alike. He also gained popularity due to the Premier League’s official fantasy game. The ‘Fantasy Premier League’ classified him as a defender, but with Bielsa deploying him further forward, his goal and assist tally garnered him a lot of points.
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