Leeds United have issued a statement after an image of Ethan Ampadu’s son wearing a Galatasaray kit was circulated online.

The photo of the youngster wearing the Turkish club’s home kit was posted on social media by Ampadu’s former partner and Leeds say that the club captain is ‘aware of and sensitive to’ the tragic murder of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight. The Leeds fans were murdered in Istanbul in 2000 on the eve of their club’s UEFA Cup game against Galatasaray.

A club statement said: “Leeds United are aware of an image circulating online of Ethan Ampadu’s son. Ethan separated from his partner several months ago and has no responsibility for the image in question. Ethan is aware of and sensitive to the tragic loss within the Loftus and Speight families.

“The club asks for Ethan’s privacy to be respected in what is a difficult time for him personally. Our captain has been a leader on and off the pitch this season, demonstrating his commitment to the club, its history, and the broader Leeds community. Ethan has the full support of everybody at Leeds United.”

Ampadu joined Leeds from Chelsea in the summer of 2023 and became an on-field leader for Daniel Farke, before taking the armband on a permanent basis after the departure of ex-skipper Liam Cooper. This season Ampadu suffered two serious knee injuries but still played a vital role both on and off the pitch as the Whites secured automatic promotion to the Premier League and the Championship title. The midfielder played 29 times, guesting in the centre of defence for more than half of his appearances. Ampadu was one of the Leeds players who laid shirts and flowers down in front of the away end at Kenilworth Road to pay respect to Loftus and Speight earlier this season.

This year friends and family members of Loftus and Speight raised more than £26,000 for local cancer charity Candlelighters to mark the 25th anniversary of the club’s darkest hours.

Tom Robertshaw, Candlelighters head of fundraising says the legacy of Chris and Kev will bring comfort to children across the region. He told the YEP: "We’d like to say a huge thank you to Gareth and the Leeds United community for choosing to fundraise for Candlelighters in memory of Chris and Kev. The generosity of everyone involved will make a huge difference to the lives of children with cancer and their families. One hundred and fifty children are diagnosed every year with cancer in Yorkshire, instantly turning lives upside down. The fundraising in memory of Chris and Kev will bring light to these families in the darkest of times, whether that be through services such as our talking therapies for children to help them cope with their cancer diagnosis, special trips for siblings to support children whose brother or sister has cancer, or the research we invest in to save lives and reduce suffering of children with cancer. The support of everyone involved will enable the legacy of Chris and Kev to bring comfort and hope to these children and their families."