“He did a tackle right in front of the South Stand and the whole place erupted. I was thinking, ‘you’re going to go down well with this club’.”
Former Leeds United boss Simon Grayson is reflecting on the moment new signing Tarik Muharemovic endeared himself to fans on his debut in a friendly against RB Leipzig at Elland Road in July.
The 23-year-old defender had just become Leeds’ most expensive defender following a £34.1m move from Italian side Sassuolo, replacing the long-serving Pascal Struijk, who joined Brighton for £20m.
At the time, some supporters questioned the fee for a player with only one season under his belt in Europe’s top leagues.
“He’s the right profile but the price is a bit steep,” wrote one after the signing of the 6ft 4in left-footed centre-back.
Another added: “Seems like another sensible addition although the fee is eye-watering.”
Three months into a five-year contract and talk has quickly turned to how long Leeds can keep Muharemovic, such has been his impact since arriving from an impressive World Cup with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“Muharemovic has done that well that there will already be clubs looking at him, trying to nick him over the next few months,” former Leeds United striker Lucy Ward told BBC Sport.
Jonny Buchan, presenter of the BBC’s Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet Leeds United podcast, added: “There could be a fear he is a one-year wonder with Leeds in that he does that well in the Premier League, raises his profile that much, that clubs will come for him.”
There is already reported interest from Barcelona,, external Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in Muharemovic, who has earned praise for his no-nonsense approach to defending as well as his aerial presence at both ends of the pitch.
Grayson, who managed Leeds from 2008 to 2012, said he has proved a “rock-like” presence and a prolonged spell at Elland Road will benefit the player in the long run.
“I’m not daft enough to think he doesn’t have aspirations to one day play for some of the biggest clubs in the world,” Grayson told BBC Sport.
“But right now? Sometimes a player is at home with a certain club and I get that feeling with Muharemovic. I get the impression he loves Leeds, he loves the city and he loves the supporters.”
The supporters have fallen for him too – and not just because of his passionate performances on the pitch.
After Leeds hammered Newcastle 4-1 in September, Muharemovic shouted into the TV cameras “United are back, United are back”.
Dubbed ‘The Bosnian Brick Wall’ by fans, he has helped Leeds boast the second meanest defence in the Premier League behind defending champions Arsenal.
Muharemovic may not be the finished article, but will his name be in the conversation when the time comes to discuss the Premier League signing of the season?
