Nico Elvedi smiled as he looked across the Elland Road pitch for the very first time. Typically, having not rained for what feels like an eternity, the heavens opened as we welcomed our latest addition to his new home, but spirits weren’t to be dampened by the sudden downpour.
The commanding centre-half arrives on a three-year deal from Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Mönchengladbach, bolstering the defensive ranks with his years of top-flight knowhow. What was clear from the glint in Nico’s eyes was just how pleased he is to pull on the white shirt and get out there on the pitch with the new campaign just around the corner.
“I’m very excited,” the vastly experienced Switzerland international began, exclusively chatting with LUTV after completing the formalities of his West Yorkshire switch. “I am very happy to be here, everything is done and I can’t wait to play for this club.
“I know Leeds have a big history, Manchester United is also a big rival so we will try to beat them this season. It is such a big club with amazing fans and I also can’t wait to play in this stadium with the fans. I saw some videos from the stadium, from the fans, and I love it. Everybody told me it is a special moment to go through the tunnel and see the atmosphere. I can’t wait to see that.”
The defender starred for the Swiss side that this summer recorded their joint-best finish at a FIFA World Cup – reaching a first Quarter-Final in 72 years – in which Elvedi played every single minute, even sharing the pitch with compatriot and new Whites’ teammate Noah Okafor.
The forward, who enjoyed an outstanding first term with the club last campaign after his 2025 move from AC Milan, wasn’t just influential on the pitch during the season, he was putting the hard yards in over the summer convincing Nico to follow himself, cult-hero Gaetano Berardi and Sky Bet Championship winner Isaac Schmidt in becoming the latest player from the alpine country to represent Leeds United.
Discussing those conversations, he added: “I talked with Noah a little bit and he just told me good things about the club and the fans so, yeah, I am happy. We talked at the World Cup about this club!”
The fourth new arrival of an exciting and productive summer so far, Nico links up with former boss Daniel Farke, under whom the defender enjoyed a term in the Bundesliga with Gladbach. There, the centre-half featured 34 times in the heart of the Foals’ defence, scoring three times and helping the side to victory over perennial champions Bayern Munich.
The opportunity to work once more for the German played a huge role in Elvedi leaving the team he had called home for the previous 11 years, in which time he had racked up 318 top-flight appearances, sitting eighth in the club’s all-time record appearances charts.
“I talked with the manager, I know him as well and, yeah, he is also a big point for this change,” he smiled. “It was just one year but I loved to have him as a manager. I learned a lot from him and I will learn a lot now.”
During his time at Borussia-Park, the Swiss international blossomed from a fledgling 19-year-old finding his way in the senior game to a full international with over 70 caps to show, starring in several World Cups and European Championships, and testing himself against some of the continent’s best teams in the UEFA Champions League.
An almost ever-present in the Mönchengladbach team for over a decade, Nico felt the time was right to test himself in a new environment. There will have been plenty of suitors vying for the 29-year-old’s signature, but the prospect of competing in the Premier League in an ambitious team embarking on establishing itself at the top table was an offer too good to turn down.
“It is a big step but I think I need this step,” Elvedi finished with as the ink dried on his freshly-signed contract. “I am happy to be here and excited, yeah. I will find out but here it is the best league in the world. Everything is faster and stronger. I think we have a good team this season but I think we can reach big things this season. We will see where we get at the end.”
