Ezgjan Alioski: Maturity amidst the madness
- Published
Adam Pope, BBC Radio Leeds
From the moment he arrived in 2017, with his own camera crew in tow, Ezgjan Alioski never stopped entertaining.
The bleached blonde-haired winger was an unmissable human tornado.
A ball of non-stop energy, frequently caught offside as a winger before Marcelo Bielsa developed him into an effective left-back where he plays for his country.
Whether it be blowing kisses to the "crowdies" during lockdown, smacking the side of the tunnel, trying overhead kicks from the edge of his own penalty area or running around like a man possessed, every United supporter will have a smile-inducing memory of the player whose antics betrayed a deep intelligence.
The North Macedonia international speaks five languages and when he arrived in Leeds had the confidence to take part in a live Question of Sport-style event held by BBC Radio Leeds at Elland Road.
Alioski is a remarkable individual who will be missed after giving everything for Leeds - he was vital to the club's promotion to the Premier League where he went on to score two goals in 36 appearances.
His departure implies the arrival of a new left-back with Barcelona's Junior Firpo strongly linked to being his successor.