Leeds United look to be in a decent position to retain their spot in the Premier League.
Although the Yorkshire side are just three points above the relegation zone, they are 15th in the table. And they have the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin to thank in helping them hold their destiny in their own hands.
The Englishman joined Leeds in the summer, in what has been a fruitful relationship for both parties. He spoke exclusively to Squawka about his career so far.
In this article, we’ll look at
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s career so far
- Age: 28
- Career path: Sheffield United (2005-2016) > Stalybridge Celtic (loan 2014-15) > Northampton Town (loan 2015-16) > Everton (2016-25) > Leeds United (2025-)
Calvert-Lewin made his Premier League debut just over nine years ago, coming off the bench for Everton in a 2-1 win over Arsenal in December 2016. But his career started a lot closer to home.
He first joined Sheffield United’s youth academy in 2005, not too long after his eighth birthday. Calvert-Lewin rose through the ranks at the club, a dream for a boyhood Sheffield United fan. He eventually made his first-team Blades debut in April 2015 as an 18-year-old, another dream come true. But Calvert-Lewin admitted that he wasn’t playing as free as he would have liked.
“It seems like a long time ago now, but when I finally got the chance to play in the first team, I did put a lot of pressure on myself,” Calvert-Lewin told Squawka.
“Because it was my boyhood club. My dad’s a Sheffield United fan, I had friends who were Sheffield United fans. So it was quite tough, actually, being a young lad making my debut, I probably wasn’t playing as free as I would have liked. But it was obviously a great experience nonetheless.”
Like a lot of young English players, Calvert-Lewin also had a loan spell in non-league football. It’s a move you see more often for young goalkeepers, but it’s also a way for other players to cut their teeth. Calvert-Lewin’s spell was with Stalybridge Celtic in the sixth tier of English football. And it proved to be pivotal to his career.
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It was at Stalybridge that Calvert-Lewin first played as a striker, having predominantly been a midfielder beforehand. He scored twice on his debut against Hyde FC, and netting again against them a few days later. In fact, Calvert-Lewin scored six goals in five games for Stalybridge, only failing to find the net once. He was recalled after only a handful of matches in non-league. But Calvert-Lewin looked back fondly on what was an important loan.
He told Squawka of his time with Stalybridge: “It was pivotal. And I’d urge any young player to get out there and get experience in men’s football as early as possible.
“That was really the catalyst for me to where I first became a centre-forward. Because I was a central midfielder before that, not too long before I went to non-league. And I went there as a striker, scored goals and it gave me all the confidence I needed to drive me on.”
After another loan spell — this time with Northampton Town in League Two — Calvert-Lewin did get a small run of games with Sheffield United in League One. But only three of those nine league appearances in 2015-16 came from the start. In the summer of 2016, Sheffield United signed strikers in Leon Clarke, James Hanson and Caolan Lavery, which had Calvert-Lewin’s game time in doubt.
The then-19-year-old had been eyeing a loan move away to get more game time, before Everton came calling.
“When I first found out about the Everton interest, I was on holiday in Ayia Napa with my mates and I got a call from my agent and I couldn’t believe it,” he said.
“At the time I was buzzing, and it was surreal. Things went up and down for the next six to eight weeks, and I didn’t end up signing until deadline day. It was on and then it was off, and then it was back on again two days before deadline day.
“But I remember thinking, as soon as I heard that they were interested, that I had to go there.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s game explained
As mentioned, Calvert-Lewin started his football career as a central midfielder. He didn’t make the switch to striker until his loan spell at Stalybridge. And the rest is history.
Standing 6’2″, Calvert-Lewin is understandably good in the air. But his aerial ability and longevity may still go under the radar. The Englishman has scored 24 headed goals in the Premier League. Since his debut, only two players have scored more — Harry Kane (32) and Chris Wood (31). It’s no shame to be second to those players. He has, however, had more headed shots than any other Premier League player since his debut, with 181.
Calvert-Lewin has also won the third-most aerial duels in the Premier League since his debut, with 1,071. He’s one of just three players to have won over 1,000. The other two? James Tarkowski (1,344) and Virgil van Dijk (1,169).
Calvert-Lewin wasn’t supposed to be playing Premier League football as quick as he did. He had initially signed with the intention of playing in Everton’s Under-23 side. But he reaped the rewards of the call up, giving him the opportunity to play and train alongside Romelu Lukaku. Although their paths only crossed for a short period, the Belgian gave Calvert-Lewin a valuable bit of advice.
“I just remember how good he was in front of goal, and how hard he could kick the ball,” Calvert-Lewin recalled.
“I’ve never seen someone sidefoot a ball so hard in my life. And that’s why I remember thinking as a young kid, that’s the level I’ve got to get to.
“And he was great with me. I remember one thing, when I think I’d come on as a sub against Hull away, I remember it quite vividly actually. A ball had been crossed in and someone had unsighted me, and I headed it and headed it wide, and it would have been the winner.
“And I was gutted, and I got on the bus, I was upset, and he was getting on the bus and he just said, ‘I miss chances, you’re going to miss chances, but score the next one, it’s alright’. And he didn’t have to do that. So I’ve always been a supporter of Rom from the moment I started playing with him, but even more so for that point. I appreciated that gesture a lot.”
During his nine years at Everton, Calvert-Lewin scored 71 goals across all competitions and hit double-figures in the league in 2019-20 and 2020-21. In 2020-21, Calvert-Lewin scored 16 goals in 33 Premier League matches, the best season of his career so far. It was form that earned Calvert-Lewin his first England callup and a spot in their Euro 2020 squad, where the striker made two appearances.
Calvert-Lewin’s progress was hampered by injuries over the next few years. He made just 34 appearances in 2021-22 and 2022-23 combined. Even when he returned, it took a long time for Calvert-Lewin to get back up to speed. But the Englishman has admitted he wouldn’t change anything about the way his career has gone.
“In moments, it was really difficult,” Calvert-Lewin said of his injury issues.
“When I had all that momentum off the back of the Euros, off the back of my best season, to have everything put to a stop. It was really difficult to deal with. And again, I’m thinking in hindsight, it’s shaped me into the man and player I am today. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
“I’m very grateful for all my experiences, but most of all, I’m grateful for the choices I made in those moments that I chose to keep pushing and keep striving to get back. To get back every time you have a setback. I always knew that there’d be a comeback, and eventually you will prevail if you just keep going.
“If I would have downed tools and stopped, I wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation with you now. So yeah, I persevered and kept going.”
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s growth in 2025-26
Calvert-Lewin really found his feet in 2025-26. His time at Everton came to an end in the summer, and there was a lot of talk from football fans as to his next destination. The opportunity to stay in the Premier League presented itself to Calvert-Lewin, and it was one he was ready to take with both hands.
He said: “They [Leeds] were looking for a number nine, and I was looking to be the main number nine. And once the conversation started, I just got the feeling that I’d been looking for the whole summer of a place that could feel like home. And from the moment I joined, it felt like home.
“It took me a while to get going, but I knew I would get going. And I’ve just been proven right the longer time has gone on, in the way that the fans have taken me in, the performances I’ve been able to put in and repay that. It’s been a great feeling and probably the most enjoyable season that I’ve played.”
Calvert-Lewin has scored 10 goals in the Premier League this season, with only five players netting more. But only two of those above him were strikers who joined their current clubs in the summer.
When comparing Calvert-Lewin to a selection of strikers who switched clubs in the summer, the Englishman ranks well. He leads Viktor Gyokeres, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and Nick Woltemade for shots on target at 1.1 per 90 minutes. They have come from 2.3 shots (excluding blocks), ranking him second among our selected group.
Calvert-Lewin also sits third for lay-off passes completed with 2.1 per 90, behind only Joao Pedro and Woltemade. But both of those players have spent more time than Calvert-Lewin in playing supporting roles in their teams.
Of course, Calvert-Lewin comes out on top for his aerial battles this season both for total contested (10.1 per 90) and duels won (4.0 per 90).
Only Casemiro and Raul Jimenez have scored more headed goals in the Premier League this season than Calvert-Lewin’s three. Only Haaland (22) has had more headed shots than Calvert-Lewin (19), while the Englishman ranks joint-fifth for his seven headed shots on target.
In December alone, Calvert-Lewin scored six goals, netting in every Premier League match he played. His performances earned Calvert-Lewin the Premier League Player of the Month award, the first Leeds man to scoop the prize since Rio Ferdinand in October 2001.
“I think it would have been difficult to do what I’ve done without the support of everybody involved, and particularly the manager,” Calvert-Lewin said of his form at Leeds.
“From the moment I joined, I could feel the trust that he was putting in me. I think the relationship between the manager and the number nine is unique, because you can dictate outcomes at the end of the day. And a manager can be largely reliant on how well his number nine is doing.
“So for him to put that faith in me and think that I’m the right man for the job, to come and be his number nine, I appreciated that. And then as the season’s gone on, he’s trusted and had faith in me.
“And I’m thankful that thus far I’ve been able to repay it and still recognise there’s work to be done.”
What’s next for Dominic Calvert-Lewin?
Leeds aren’t guaranteed safety in the Premier League this season. But they are in a decent position, and ensuring they do not let things slip is priority number one for Calvert-Lewin. It was the main priority when he signed for the club, as they were preparing for life back in the Premier League.
But there’s also second goal, and it’s one that has become possible because of the season Calvert-Lewin has had. Calvert-Lewin hasn’t played for England since his 17-minute cameo in the Euro 2020 quarter-final win over Ukraine. He is back in the conversation, though, and could find his name back in the England squad if he ends the season on a high note.
Calvert-Lewin said: “The byproduct of me personally finishing the season strong, and finishing it in good form, could coincide with a World Cup shout. And I’m back in the conversation, which is all that I could have asked for at the start of the season.
“It was more about just getting back in the conversation and that would have been enough. But now that I’m in the conversation, I’m always someone that wants more and more. So, of course, I’d love to be involved.”
Of course, every English striker pales in comparison to Harry Kane. And he will be Thomas Tuchel’s starting striker this summer. But Calvert-Lewin very much stands up well against other English strikers who will be in with a chance of selection.
Ivan Toney performs well in Kane’s understudies, but some will look at an asterisk of him playing in the Saudi Pro League. Calvert-Lewin does push him close in a few metrics too. The Leeds man’s 2.3 shots per 90 is better than Ollie Watkins’ 1.7 and the 1.5 Jarrod Bowen has posted. His 0.5 goals per 90 is also second only to Toney.
On top of his aerial strength, Calvert-Lewin also comes out on top for lay-offs completed per 90. And he sits second for conversion rate, with 20.83%.
Longer-term, Calvert-Lewin will be happy as long as he’s scoring goals.
He said: “I’ve rediscovered what it’s like to truly enjoy a football match this season. And now that I’ve got that feeling, I don’t want it to end. I want to keep playing and enjoying my football for as long as possible. And I know that when I enjoy playing, and I enjoy the hard work, that good things come from that.
“Long may it continue.”
Read the full transcript of our exclusive interview with Dominic Calvert-Lewin here.