Rotherham United are delighted to confirm the loan arrival of Leeds United defender Leo Hjelde, who has secured a temporary move to AESSEAL New York Stadium until the end of the 2022/23 campaign, subject to FA, EFL and Premier League ratification.
The 19-year-old is highly thought of by the hierarchy at Elland Road and makes the switch from West to South Yorkshire in a move which will not only aid his footballing development but provide Millers boss Matt Taylor with another talented operator in the defensive ranks.
Having travelled around the world to follow his dad’s – Jon Olav Hjelde– football career, which included time in South Korea, the family would resettle on English shores meaning that Leo’s CV already boasts plenty of variety.
Despite still very much being in the infancy of his career, the teenager kicked off his career in his father’s homeland of Norway with Trygg/Lade FC before joining Rosenborg in 2018. Upon the family’s return to England and having shown plenty of early promise on the pitch, Celtic swooped to sign Hjelde on a professional deal in 2019 when he was just 15-years-old.
His professional debut came during a loan stint with Ross County in January 2021, where he would spend the remainder of the 2020/21 season, in a stint that would also see him net his first senior goal.
In August of the same year, his promise had been noted across footballing circles and prompted Leeds United to pay an undisclosed fee for his services, tying him down to a four-year deal in the process.
His Leeds debut came in January 2022 in an Emirates FA Cup Third Round tie against West Ham United with his first outing in the Premier League following a week later when he came on as a substitute, also against West Ham.
Born in Nottingham, Hjelde is capped for Norway from U16s to U21s level.
Hjelde will wear the number 29 shirt during his time with Rotherham United.
Everyone at Rotherham United would like to welcome Leo to AESSEAL New York Stadium and wish him well for his time spent in a Millers shirt.