Ethan Ampadu has been described as a future Wales captain by national-team boss Rob Page.

Ampadu is set to win his 50th cap in Thursday’s Euro 2024 play-off semi-final against Finland at the tender age of 23.

Barring any future injury issues, the versatile Leeds player seems certain to break Gareth Bale’s record of 111 caps.

“He’s only 23 and it seems like he’s been around forever because of the age (17) when he got his debut,” Page said of Ampadu, who has started 42 of Leeds’ 43 games this term since making a £7million switch from Chelsea.

“He’s a future Wales captain 100 per cent because he’s already captained Leeds and that’s a big club.

“He’s a model pro on and off the pitch. He doesn’t get carried away with things, his attitude is first-class, and that’s why he has the Leeds armband.

“It is a big responsibility but they wouldn’t have given it to him if they didn’t think he could cope with it.”

Wales welcome Finland to Cardiff with the winners hosting Estonia or Poland five days later to decide a place at Euro 2024 this summer.

The Dragons have no fewer than four Leeds players in their ranks with Ampadu joined by Connor Roberts, Daniel James and Joe Rodon.

Ampadu has forged an outstanding centre-back partnership with Tottenham loanee Rodon as Championship high-fliers Leeds have stepped up their push for a return to the Premier League.

But Page has recently used Ampadu in a central midfield axis with Birmingham teenager Jordan James.

“Of course you’re going to think about it (playing Ampadu in defence), but when I’ve got a three that are playing well I don’t like making changes for the sake of it,” said Page, who has been an Elland Road regular this season.

“I do like Ethan as a centre-back because he keeps you high up the pitch. You can play a high line because he is not worried about pace in behind because of his athleticism and aggression.

“On the ball we’ve needed that physicality and him and JJ (James) have struck up such a strong partnership.

“It’s great to have that luxury that he can play more than one position and Joe can do the same.

“When Locks (Tom Lockyer) came in and played in the middle, Joe went to the right of the three and did really well.

“That’s given me food for thought as both of them can play a multitude of positions.

“He and Joe have struck up a good partnership keeping clean sheets, but Ethan’s just as good playing as a six in midfield as he is at the back.”

The Leeds quartet will be the last players to arrive at the Wales camp as Daniel Farke’s side meet Millwall on Sunday.

Page admits the 3pm kick-off at The Den has altered his pre-Finland planning, saying: “I tried to get a welcome meeting for Sunday night and show all the positives from the campaign.

“We will have to do that on Monday morning now because of the delay in some of the players coming in.

“We just hope everyone turns up on Sunday night because they are in such good form.”

Patrick Bamford’s moment of brilliance lit up Leeds’ smooth FA Cup passage as they eased to a 3-0 win at Peterborough.

The forward was handed only his second start of the campaign as boss Daniel Farke rang the changes.

And Bamford responded by delivering a stunning strike shortly after half-time to double an advantage provided by Ethan Ampadu’s first goal in Leeds colours.

Captain Ampadu then sealed the win late on as his sudden taste for scoring continued.

The goalscorers were two of only five survivors from the Sky Bet Championship success against Birmingham on New Year’s Day as Farke shuffled his pack, but it did not hamper Leeds as they had three clear chances in the opening seven minutes.

Two Bamford headers – one wide from a corner and one clawed away by Posh goalkeeper Fynn Talley – sandwiched the best opportunity of all as Talley recovered to save from Archie Gray after picking out the Leeds man with an attempted pass.

League One top-scorers Peterborough began to trouble the visitors, with Ricky-Jade Jones stretching to steer an Ephron Mason-Clark cross wide before Hector Kyprianou failed to direct a header on target from Jadel Katongo’s cross.

It was no surprise when the deadlock was broken in the 34th minute, although few could have predicted Ampadu would be the scorer as he opened his Leeds account by firing past Talley after a Jaidon Anthony free-kick was chested down by Bamford.

The breakthrough was not without controversy as Posh players complained the set piece was taken before referee Sam Allison had blown his whistle, but the goal stood with Josh Knight booked for his protests.

Kyprianou then scuffed an effort wide in a goalmouth scramble as Peterborough looked to rapidly respond before Allison was again the centre of attention four minutes before the break – taking no action when Wilfried Gnonto tumbled under a Knight challenge in the box.

The Italian winger was staggered not to see a spot-kick awarded which would have led to a dismissal for Knight, while Posh felt Allison should have issued a second yellow card to Gnonto, who had been booked moments earlier for kicking the ball away.

The player count and scoreline remained unchanged going into the second half, but it did not remain that way for long thanks to the brilliance of Bamford as he brought down a long Ampadu pass on his chest before turning and unleashing a stunning volley into the top corner from 25 yards.

It was undoubtedly one of the finest goals in his 115-strong collection and ensured Leeds’ stranglehold on the clash was strengthened.

Anthony was denied a third goal on the hour by a smart Talley stop while Posh rarely looked like joining then non-League Sutton and fellow lower-league sides Newport and Crawley in claiming the scalp of Leeds in this competition in recent years.

The hosts’ fate was sealed when Ampadu rose to head in substitute Dan James’ corner in the 90th minute.

Billy Gilmour and Ross Barkley are among Chelsea stars who face an uncertain first-team future after being left off the club's squad number list for the new season.

The midfield pair, full internationals for Scotland and England respectively, were joined by the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Kenedy and Michy Batshuayi in being omitted.

Gilmour, an unused substitute in the 2021 Champions League final, was loaned out to Norwich City last season. The 21-year-old's Chelsea contract was then extended in June of this year to run until the end of the 2023-24 season.

His and 28-year-old Barkley's first-team prospects at least for the near future look bleak. That was made all the more obvious when the Blues brought in teenage midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka this week, handing the number 30 shirt to the England Under-19 international.

The return of Conor Gallagher from his successful loan at Crystal Palace also means he jumps the midfield queue at Stamford Bridge, taking the number 23 jersey.

Ampadu, 21, has barely been a factor in Chelsea's first-team considerations in recent seasons, with the Wales international having loan spells with RB Leipzig, Sheffield United and Venezia.

With Wales qualifying for Qatar 2022, ending a 64-year wait for a World Cup appearance, Ampadu will be eager to see first-team action before November, and that does not look likely at Chelsea.

Belgium striker Batshuayi will also be wanting to play regularly before that tournament, with he and Kenedy looking ripe for loan exits before the transfer window closes on September 1.

Highly rated centre-back Levi Colwill was also absent from the list, which was published on Thursday, although he reportedly could form part of a deal to bring Marc Cucurella to Chelsea from Brighton and Hove Albion.

It was already known that new recruits Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly would take numbers 17 and 26 respectively, with both poised to be fixtures in Thomas Tuchel's team.

Albanian striker Armando Broja, back from a loan at Southampton, is handed number 18, with the number nine shirt as yet unclaimed after Romelu Lukaku was loaned to Inter.

Chelsea were linked at one stage in the close season with Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United, while more recent speculation has suggested they could be keen on Barcelona's former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Tuchel's side begin their Premier League campaign away to Blues hero Frank Lampard's Everton on Saturday.

Chelsea and Wales defender Ethan Ampadu is desperate to break into the Blues' first team this season, but admits he needs regular playing time ahead of a likely World Cup appearance in Qatar.

Ampadu spent last season on loan at Venezia, making 29 Serie A appearances but failing to prevent them from finishing bottom of the Italian top flight. 

Having also spent time at RB Leipzig and Sheffield United since joining Chelsea from Exeter at the age of 16, Ampadu – already a Wales regular with 36 senior caps – is eyeing a breakthrough campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Asked whether he hoped for a long-term future with Chelsea by The Athletic, Ampadu, who is part of Thomas Tuchel's squad for a pre-season tour of the United States, replied: "Of course – I'm here, aren't I?

"This club fights for everything, Champions League, Premier League. It's all about fighting here and trying to get to the top.

"There are a few of us with that same mindset that want to break through. We're out here now and it's our chance to show it.

"Like every footballer out there, my dream is to be at the top. I don't think that's a bad thing to say and dream, everyone wants to be at the top. It's about fighting and getting towards that."

Ampadu appeared from the bench in Chelsea's 2-1 friendly win over Mexican giants Club America on Sunday.

But the 21-year-old will face fierce competition in his bid to force his way into a defence which conceded just 33 Premier League goals last season (only Liverpool and Manchester City conceded fewer).

Chelsea have already signed Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly and are being linked with Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe.

With Ampadu likely to feature when Wales begin their first World Cup campaign since 1958 against the United States on November 21, he recognises the importance of playing regularly.

"The World Cup adds something else, but even if there wasn't the World Cup, as a professional footballer you want to play," Ampadu added.

"I enjoy playing and I want to be playing week in, week out. But the World Cup is definitely something you want to be going to feeling fit and fresh."

Italy wrapped up a wonderful Group A campaign on Sunday as they overcame Wales 1-0 in Rome. 

The win ensured Italy finished top of their Euro 2020 group, while Wales claimed second place ahead of Switzerland, who eased past Turkey 3-1 in the day's other game.

Vladimir Petkovic's Swiss side will have to wait until the group stage finishes on Wednesday to know if they progress to the last 16 as one of the best third-placed finishers, but a fine display in Baku has put them in a strong position.

Using Opta data, Stats Perform takes a look at some of the best facts from the two games.

Italy 1-0 Wales: Azzurri match historic record

Italy's superb start to Euro 2020 continued as a third win in as many games sealed top spot in Group A.

Roberto Mancini's side are now unbeaten in 30 matches in all competitions (W25 D5) since losing against Portugal in September 2018, equalling the longest unbeaten run in their history, which was set between 1935 and 1939.

The decisive goal against Wales came in the 39th minute, Matteo Pessina becoming the youngest Italian player to score on his first start at a major tournament since Antonio Cassano at Euro 2004.

Welsh hopes of clawing their way back into the game were hit in the second half when Ethan Ampadu saw red.

Aged 20 years and 279 days, Ampadu became the second-youngest player to be sent off in a European Championship match after John Heitinga (20 years 217 days) for the Netherlands against Czech Republic in 2004, while Ampadu is the outright youngest to be shown a straight red.

Wales' failure to find the back of the net means Italy have kept a clean sheet in each of their last 11 matches in all competitions, only going on a longer run once before in their history – 12 games without conceding between 1972 and 1974.

Wales, however, had cause for celebration as they have now reached the knockout stages in all three of their appearances at major tournaments.

Switzerland 3-1 Turkey: Shaqiri gives Swiss hope of last-16 spot

Switzerland left it late in the group stage but belatedly turned on the style to give their chances of progressing to the knockout stages a significant boost.

It was a wonderful game, full of attacking threat from both sides, and 42 shots were attempted – a record for a group-stage game at the European Championship.

Two of those shots saw Switzerland go in at the break with a healthy lead. Haris Seferovic and Xherdan Shaqiri both scored from outside the penalty area, becoming the first Swiss players to do so at any European Championship, with each of their nine goals in the competition before Sunday coming from inside the area.

Irfan Can Kahveci pulled one back for Turkey, but Shaqiri scored again to become Switzerland's outright top scorer at major tournaments (seven – four at the World Cup and three at the European Championship).

Steven Zuber was the provider for all three of Switzerland's goals, meaning he became only the third player since 1980 to register three assists in a single European Championship game, after Portugal's Rui Costa in 2000 (v England) and Denmark's Michael Laudrup in 1984 (v Yugoslavia).

Turkey, meanwhile, became just the second nation to lose all three group-stage matches at more than one edition of the competition, having also suffered this fate at their debut tournament in 1996. Denmark were the first to suffer that fate, in 1988 and 2000.

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