National media have already gone crazy about ‘imperious’ Jaka Bijol as Leeds United land a gem
Jaka Bijol is a Leeds United player and the Slovenian will add plenty to Daniel Farke’s back line for 2025/26 and the Premier League.
Leeds United are acquiring a 63-cap international in the prime years of his career, and Jaka Bijol’s profile is exactly what promoted clubs need to survive in terms of his sheer size and physicality.
His dominance in terms of box defending is a part of the reason why we suggested Leeds should have shortlisted Bijol of Udinese weeks before any serious links emerged between Bijol and Leeds.
His power and his warrior-like defensive ability is well suited to teams fighting to survive, given that Udinese have finished 12th, 15th, and 12th in his three full seasons as a player.
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England v Slovenia: Group C – UEFA EURO 2024
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Jaka Bijol’s match ratings and reports following Slovenia 0-0 England at Euro 2024
The deal is awaiting imminent official announcement and Elland Road officials are shocked at how long Bijol’s move has taken after Leeds had agreed terms with Bijol much earlier in the week.
Fabrizio Romano revealed an £18.8 million fee will bring Bijol to Leeds, in a move which means Bijol will become the second Slovenian to play for Leeds and it’s for Slovenia that the majority of English Leeds fans will be well aware of the 6’3″ centre-back.
During a 0-0 draw in last year’s European Championships in Germany, Slovenia played out a dismal 0-0 group game with England. Bijol and co. kept out Harry Kane and co. with a clean sheet.
Per FotMob, Bijol completed 14 defensive actions, which is defined as a tackle, interception, recovery, block, clearance, or headed clearance — we weren’t joking when we called him a warrior.
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That is four more than any player on the pitch that day, with his centre-back partner Vanja Drkusic second with eight. It was over double the best England player for that statistic (Declan Rice – 6).
His nine clearances summed up his no-nonsense style and — were it not for a yellow card — it would have been a perfect display from Bijol in terms of defending his box.
Give Me Sport added: “Aerially imperious and had little to thwart thanks to Kane dropping very deep, but was reliable when called upon.”
The Guardian said: “Not afraid to put himself about. Took one for team after being turned by Kane. Booked.”
Others, such as TNT Sports’ report, gave him a 7/10 match rating as the joint-highest in the game. For WhoScored, Bijol was handed a 7.33 and the highest match rating.
Jaka Bijol was immense for Slovenia at Euro 2024, but he’s someone I haven’t seen or heard a lot about since…
Leeds and Sunderland will have to make some shrewd defensive signings to have any chance.
Bijol has a lot of tools!
— Dougie Critchley (@DougieCritchley) June 16, 2025
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Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley recalls how Bijol played vs England that day, with their backs against the wall performance led by Bijol.
READ MORE: Daniel Farke ‘made aware’ that Leeds United can sign £9m ‘ball-winner’ after Jaka Bijol
Jaka Bijol of Udinese
Photo by MB Media/Getty Images
Leeds’ Jaka Bijol has an absolutely ridiculous record aerially
The giant Slovenian will change shirt number at Leeds from his usual No.29 or No.6 squad number. That’s because Joe Rodon and Willy Gnonto occupy those.
Either way, Leeds fans are going to get used to seeing him do what he did to England on a regular basis, such is Bijol’s staggeringly good record in the air.
Over the last three seasons, only four CBs across Europe’s big five leagues have won a higher percentage of their aerial duels than #LUFC target Jaka Bijol 🇸🇮 (69%):
Virgil Van Dijk, Nikola Milenkovic, Rasmus Nicolaisen & James Tarkowski. pic.twitter.com/soheYmvJ0T
— Jamie Kemp (@jamiemkemp) June 15, 2025
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Opta’s Jamie Kemp shared the above and explained just how impressive Bijol is. Over the last three seasons, only four centre-backs across Europe’s big five leagues have won a higher percentage of their aerial duels than Bijol.
At a win rate of 69%, he is bettered only by Virgil Van Dijk, Nikola Milenkovic, Rasmus Nicolaisen, and James Tarkowski in that time.
