Dominic Calvert-Lewin injury truth revealed as Leeds United transfer sparks fitness concerns — YEP 14/8/25
By Kyle Newbould
The striker looks set to join Leeds United but arrives with
a reputation as someone with a torrid injury history.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will arrive at Leeds United with
questions to answer over his fitness but suggestions of an endless stream of
injuries appear exaggerated.
Leeds have reached an agreement in principle to sign
Calvert-Lewin as a free agent following the expiration of his Everton contract
in June. The 28-year-old is due at Thorp Arch for medical tests imminently and
could be registered in time to debut against his former club on Monday.
Whether Daniel Farke opts to include the striker in his
opening-weekend squad remains to be seen and the lack of pre-season is a
potential issue. Calvert-Lewin has been without a club all summer and while
modern professionals maintain fitness levels year-round, a lack of match
sharpness is to be expected.
Early concern among some sections of the fanbase is not just
on Calvert-Lewin’s current physical state, however, with the former England
international arriving in West Yorkshire with what Farke might label an
interesting ‘injury CV’. During nine years at Everton the striker picked up
various issues and rarely came through a full campaign unscathed - but a broken
player he is not.
Last season, Calvert-Lewin suffered a serious hamstring
injury in January that kept him out of action for just over three months,
missing 14 games according to Transfermarkt - an admittedly lengthy absence.
But that is the only non-contact issue to have sidelined the striker for more
than one game throughout the previous two campaigns.
During the 2022/23 campaign, he missed four Premier League
games between August and September but that was due to a broken cheekbone and
concussion, having come out worse following a heavy collision with Aston Villa
goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. Other than that, Calvert-Lewin has only missed
three games over two years due to minor issues or illness.
Leeds United can manage Dominic Calvert-Lewin effectively
In comparison, long-term Leeds target Rodrigo Muniz,
reported to cost potential suitors around £40m, missed seven Premier League
games last season due to a combination of Achilles and back issues, the former
of which ended his 2024/25 campaign early in April. During the 2023/24 term, he
missed four games due to a knee problem.
Furthermore, over those past two seasons Calvert-Lewin has
played 841 minutes of football more than Muniz, which is equivalent to almost
10 full matches. That extra demand would naturally place more strain on the
body of a battling striker, making them more vulnerable to injury.
None of that is to say Muniz will become an injury-prone
striker, or that Calvert-Lewin will cruise through the 2025/26 campaign without
so much as a knock, but players pick up issues. For Leeds and Farke, it is
about managing the demand placed on those with a propensity to suffer with
fitness problems.
And Farke in particular has shown an ability to do that,
with last season’s loan arrival Manor Solomon arriving in West Yorkshire with
much the same questions to answer as Calvert-Lewin. His 2024/25 campaign was
not without issues - back and hamstring injuries kept him out at points - but
careful management allowed the winger to thrive at Leeds and ultimately make
the difference going forward.