Eighteen months ago, Charlie Cresswell’s career trajectory seemed poised for a breakthrough at Leeds United following a potential relegation from the Premier League. However, his journey took a different turn.
Cresswell had spent the previous season on loan in the Championship with Millwall, where he made 30 appearances despite being limited by injury. During his time in London, he also managed to score five goals. Returning to Leeds that summer, he signed a new contract, seemingly setting the stage for a more prominent role. However, Leeds manager Daniel Farke had a different vision for the squad.
Farke favored other defensive options, such as signing Joe Rodon, while retaining Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk ahead of Cresswell in the defensive hierarchy. When Struijk suffered an injury mid-season, Ethan Ampadu was moved into the defensive line instead of giving Cresswell a chance. As a result, the England Under-21 defender was handed just one Championship start and a total of seven appearances during the 2024-25 campaign.
Farke openly criticized Cresswell’s commitment, straining their working relationship to the point of no recovery. This eventually led to Cresswell’s departure in the summer, as he joined Ligue 1 side Toulouse for a reported fee of £3.8 million. Since his move, Cresswell has started to thrive.
Initially, Cresswell faced challenges adapting to a new system and began the season playing as a right-sided center-back in a back three. Out of the first seven Ligue 1 games, he started four but didn’t make a strong impression. However, a switch to the central position in the backline revitalized his form. He has since been a key figure in Toulouse’s recent successes, featuring in consecutive wins and clean sheets against Montpellier and Reims, followed by a victory over Rennes.
Reflecting on his time at Leeds in an interview with La Dépêche, Cresswell emphasized the importance of consistent game time. He noted that a lack of matches had hindered his confidence and rhythm, but his regular appearances with Toulouse had allowed him to regain his form and enjoy playing again.
Cresswell’s performances in Ligue 1 have started to justify his transfer fee. Despite a shaky start to the season, which included a tough outing against Marseille’s Mason Greenwood, Cresswell has become a standout player for Toulouse. His defensive stats highlight his contributions: he has made 10 appearances (8 starts), with 703 minutes played, contributing to 4 wins and 5 clean sheets. He has won 62.8% of his duels, made 9 tackles, 32 interceptions (69.6% success rate), and blocked 8 shots.
Given the Premier League’s interest in English defenders playing abroad, Cresswell’s current form could attract top-tier attention in the future. For now, his focus remains on excelling at Toulouse and proving wrong the decision-makers at Leeds who sidelined him.