1. He learned his trade in the Feyenoord academy
Born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Crysencio Summerville joined the famous Varkenoord youth academy of Feyenoord as an Under-7 in 2008. A decade later, he would sign his first professional contract with Feyenoord and gained his first experience of senior football with loans at second-tier Eerste Divisie Dordrecht and top flight Eredivisie outfit ADO Den Haag. Although he would depart De Kuip without making a first team appearance, he had gained a solid grounding under coaches who included former Liverpool and Netherlands striker Dirk Kuyt.
2. He was a European champion with the Dutch U17s
Not only did 2018 bring about Crysencio’s first professional contract, but it also saw him lift silverware on the international stage with his country. Summerville was a member of the Netherlands Under-17 squad which triumphed in the UEFA European U17 Championship. He enjoyed a fine tournament, which was held in England, scoring in a 3-0 group stage win over Germany, before appearing as a substitute in the final triumph against Italy at Rotherham United’s New York Stadium.
3. That was a taste of things to come in Yorkshire
Having lifted that piece of silverware in the county of Yorkshire, Crysencio would make a permanent return two years later when he left Feyenoord behind to sign for Leeds United. The Elland Road side had just been promoted to the top flight under Marcelo Bielsa, ending a near two-decade absence from the Premier League, and the then-18-year old soon showed flashes of his talent by establishing himself in Premier League 2, scoring six goals and assisting six more in 12 matches. That earned him a seat on the first team bench for the first time in April 2021 for a 0-0 home draw with Manchester United.
4. His breakthrough arrived in 2021/22
The next campaign – the first with full stadia again following the COVID-19 pandemic – saw Crysencio maintain that momentum. He was handed his senior Leeds debut on 17 September 2021, coming on for the final 21 minutes of a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United, and he followed that a week later with another substitute appearance as the Hammers came from behind to snatch a dramatic 2-1 win at Elland Road. He would end that campaign with nine first team appearances under his belt and he was rewarded with a new long-term deal that summer.
5. A dramatic winner against Liverpool
Crysencio’s time at Leeds had already seen him build steadily and he really announced himself to the rest of the Premier League in the autumn of 2022, when he notched in four successive top flight games. After scoring his first Leeds goal in a 3-2 defeat to Fulham on 23 October, six days later he popped up in the final minute at Anfield to seal an unforgettable 2-1 victory over Liverpool. Although Leeds would end up losing their top flight status at the end of the season, Summerville was now firmly making strides at the highest level.
6. Rich vein of Championship form
Now in the EFL Championship, Crysencio’s goalscoring form found another gear last term. After breaking his duck for the campaign with the only goal against Queens Park Rangers on 4 October, Summerville hit lift-off, with another nine strikes coming before Christmas. He finished with 19 league goals in 2023/24, alongside one each in the FA Cup and the Championship Play-Offs to reach a total of 21 in 49 games, plus ten assists. That dwarfed his previous best goalscoring campaign – five with Dordrecht in 2018/19 – and provided further evidence of his blossoming skills, even though Leeds ultimately suffered the heartbreak of defeat to Southampton in the Play-Off final at Wembley. In any case, Summerville had more than proved he was ready for another crack at the Premier League.
