This week got off to yet another slow start, but started picking up on Tuesday. FARKE confirmed late on and he gave a decent interview. I believe he has convinced the club “his project” is urgent, because apparently he sold himself and what he wanted to do in a big presentation. The 49ers loved it and have bought into him by giving him a 4 year deal. They must trust what he wants to do and look like backing him in the market. Also if he gets us promoted he has demanded to be backed to ensure relegation is taken off the table. So for me he wasn't my first choice, but he is now and I applaud Marathe for backing him big. He said he had no chance in the prem with Norwich as he had a budget for L1. So promoted by winning the league by a mile and then coming straight back down was expected and then doing the same thing again was comical, and then getting sacked because Norwich didn’t know what else to do…. So lets be honest who out of all the coaches we were told about, who was your favourite. We saw Viera fall away and accept a job in France, we saw the useless Gerrard reject a gig in Saudi because he thought he could get the Leeds job. He then took the Saudi job when he knew he wasn’t getting Leeds. Allerdyce FFS thought he should be DoF and his 2 failure mates manage the club. We also had Bowyer throwing his hat into the ring, Iraola mentioned but he went to Bournemouth. The whole process took an age but simply because Marathe wanted to interview everyone on Kinnears shortlist. We have no idea who else was spoken to but imagine Kinnear will have spoken to a lot maybe even Lampard or O’Neil or Southampton Ralf. Corberan wasn’t spoken to apparently? But in fairness I feel we probably have the best coach available especially from those we know about. Lots of stories about players wanting to leave, but one player I hope we keep is Georginio Rutter. This kid should want to show the fans what we missed last season when he was ignored. Going back to Germany shows cowardice and a lack of ambition, so he should be looking forward to sticking it to the shyte coaches we had. The club should also want to make sure he stays too because Murathe was part of the team that paid a record fee for the kid and if he wants to show the fans he was right to do it, the time is now. One more good thing about FARKE is that he has been talking to Nick Hammond for a while: He said: “We’ve had some really good conversations and spoken intensively about the squad. Always after relegation there’s, let’s say a little bit of a hangover for each and every club and many decisions have to be made. Obviously the group right now will not be the group at the end of August. So we need some good decisions with outgoings and incomings and Nick will play a pivotal role during this upcoming period. And it’s important that we don’t just start today with some talks, but we had also the chance in the recent days in order to speak quite intensively from all this.“From now on we can make some decisions and yes, but so far, so good. And we have a good relationship so far and I’m quite confident that he will be a big help. The transfer window will end on the final day.” It feels like a revolution is happening as FARKE seems to have total control of the clubs football business. Coaching, coaches, tactics, transfers etc. this is almost Bielsaesque the way he’s taking over. For me no bad thing as the club collapsed when they got rid of Marcelo and I believe the yanks want someone to give them a good feel factor again. FARKE actually said to Murathe that Leeds need to score 75 goals minimum to be promoted so insisted on a striker. First time anyone besides Bielsa has mentioned the facts about promotion from the Championship and what’s required. Lots of controversy about us paying £35m for a 20yo but Southampton expecting £50m for Lavia a 19yo plus Brighton wanting £100m for a 20yo and Man Utd expected to pay £60m for a 20yo. Here are some more: Bellingham 19yo £147m Musiala 19yo £125m Gavi 18yo £123m Pedri 20yo £123m Gvardiol 21yo £96m Camavinga 20yo £83m Mendes 20yo £67m Wirtz 19yo £66m Fati 20yo £51m Gravenbach 20yo £46m So the reality is we did that when other things were more pressing and important, but we did it and hopefully it turns out to be cheap as chips
Leeds’ transfers need to be done quickly – so who do they want to sign and sell? please log in to view this image By Phil Hay Jul 6, 2023 Even with the clock against them, time was taken to make sure the terms of Daniel Farke’s appointment as Leeds United manager were all in order. His agents flew to England before him on Monday and after Farke arrived later that night, it needed several hours the following day to smooth out every detail. Time was on his mind, though, because the road to recruiting him had not left him with much. It took so long to get there that pre-season training was about to start the next day. As he signed his deal, he had a week until Leeds’ first friendly and four-and-a-half weeks until their first Championship game. His opening gambit after agreeing terms struck a chord: “We need to have some good decisions now — some quick decisions.” This was a summer where from the moment relegation was confirmed, Leeds were reliant on dominoes falling: the agreement of a takeover facilitating the selection of a new first-team boss whose arrival, in turn, allowed attention to focus firmly on changes to their playing squad. Farke was not joking when he said rapid decisions were on the way. Within a few hours, the club’s goalkeeping coach, Marcos Abad, had been told that he was surplus to requirements. But for Farke to make a go of his first season in charge, so much is staked on what happens next in the transfer market. He might be a two-time Championship winner as a coach, but his first exchanges with the media at Elland Road on Tuesday involved a degree of managing expectations. “We’ve spoken intensively about the squad,” Farke said. “It’s a huge task for us. After relegation, it’s always a bit of a hangover and many decisions have to be made. The group right now will not be the group at the end of August. We need good decisions with outgoings and incomings. “Probably it won’t be everything perfect in just four weeks. You can’t create this. But we need to create a solid foundation and make sure that the longer the season lasts, the better we’ll be. It’s difficult but it’s important to be honest and transparent about it.” It was possible, he said, that Leeds would have to suck up “a little bit of a bumpy start”. It did not seem unfair to ask for some tolerance and patience. please log in to view this image A number of outgoings from Elland Road are already a long way down the line. Leeds are ready to release midfielder Brenden Aaronson on loan to Union Berlin next week and have negotiated for centre-back Diego Llorente to go back to Roma, where he featured in the second half of last season. Llorente is set to leave on a temporary basis with a permanent, appearance-related obligation attached to the contract. Another of their central defenders, Robin Koch, was completing the formalities of a loan to Eintracht Frankfurt by undergoing a medical today, another move which United were happy to arrange to remove Koch from the wage bill. Eintracht were expected to pay a loan fee for him. Other exits are likely, too. Real Betis intend to sign Marc Roca and Roma want Rasmus Kristensen, although Kristensen initially indicated he was happy to stay at Elland Road despite relegation from the Premier League. At this stage, Roma’s interest in him is not as far down the line as their approach for Llorente. The latter’s departure was due to be confirmed this week and he has not been involved in the pre-season programme Leeds began with physical testing on Monday. Elsewhere in the camp, the future of specific individuals is less certain. Leeds and their new owner, 49ers Enterprises, are trying to keep hold of USA captain Tyler Adams but the player, who has been recovering from the hamstring operation he underwent towards the end of last season, is wanted by Aston Villa and does not lack admirers at a higher level than the Championship. Jack Harrison, another who Leeds want to stay, is drawing interest from Everton and has been monitored in the past by Newcastle and Tottenham. United would be happy to retain Rodrigo for the last year of his contract but are realistic about the fact that, at 32, he might be inclined to take a good offer from elsewhere. They are hopeful Willy Gnonto will stick around. please log in to view this image The state of a very moveable feast leaves question marks about what the club actually need to secure in the transfer market, but a number of positions have been marked out as priorities. Leeds anticipate Illan Meslier moving on before the end of the window, irrespective of the fact no bids have been tabled for him yet, and they are actively looking at replacements. Newcastle’s Karl Darlow, a player with substantial Championship experience, is on the list of viable options. They also looked at Manchester City youngster James Trafford, though Burnley are working to wrap up a deal for him. Preston’s Freddie Woodman and Norwich’s Angus Gunn are keepers they have tracked in the past. Though Joel Robles was invited back for pre-season after his short-term contract expired last week, he is yet to return and is still deciding whether to seek a deal as a free agent elsewhere. Adam Forshaw is in a similar situation having reached the end of his contract at Elland Road this summer. Leeds declined to take up a pre-agreed option to extend his stay by a further 12 months but have put forward a new proposal on different terms which takes into account the injury problems the 31-year-old has dealt with. Like Robles, they also offered Forshaw the chance to begin pre-season with them. As yet, Forshaw has not said yes to those terms and is absent from the club, though United are hopeful he will accept and be involved in the 2023-24 campaign. Leeds are light in the centre of midfield. Weston McKennie went back to Juventus in May at the end of an unsuccessful loan in England. With Roca set to switch to Spain and Adams’ future unclear, United have work to do in an area which has been an issue for a number of years now. Darko Gyabi will be pushed through from the under-21s and Archie Gray is likely to feature in Farke’s plans, but the new coach will want nous in the part of the team that drove his 4-2-3-1 at Norwich City. Leeds have an interest in Coventry City’s Gustavo Hamer and Han-Noah Massengo, the 21-year-old who is out of contract at Bristol City. Massengo would command a compensation fee due to his age. Defensively, Leeds require a left-back having decided to listen to enquiries for Junior Firpo. They have been repeatedly linked with Ryan Manning, who is on a free transfer after parting company with Swansea City, and they are pondering bidding for Burnley’s Charlie Taylor, the defender who came through the academy at Elland Road. They are keen on Nat Phillips, a right-sided centre-back at Liverpool who was part of Bournemouth’s promotion-winning squad as a loanee in 2021-22. Phillips is valued at around £10million and would represent a significant investment, but he is 26 and has only featured sporadically for Liverpool to this point. Farke took an interest in Phillips during the German’s spell as Norwich boss. Feyenoord have an eye on him, too. please log in to view this image Up front, Leeds are one of several clubs on the trail of Swansea’s Joel Piroe, someone they targeted at the very end of last summer’s transfer window and who is into the last 12 months of his deal. Nottingham Forest’s Sam Surridge is an alternative target. Leeds have no plans to lose record signing Georginio Rutter, but Farke’s analysis of Rutter in his interviews with United’s hierarchy marked Rutter out as a wide attacker rather than a centre forward and the club’s manager is keen to add goals to his squad. Patrick Bamford, under contract to 2026, has scored just six times in league games in the past two seasons, both of them affected by injury. Beyond that, it remains to be seen how Farke addresses the No 10 position, a key lever in the side he built at Carrow Road. Emi Buendia was a hugely effective signing from Getafe, brought in for the season in which Farke steered Norwich to the Championship title and a big creative presence en route to promotion. Aaronson was touted as something very close to a 10 when Leeds bought him from Red Bull Salzburg a year ago but Aaronson is about to exit Elland Road and there is no obvious out-and-out candidate for the role in the squad as it stands. But this, in no small way, is what Farke was getting at. Leeds is his realm and the matter of who manages the club is settled at last. The club no longer have that particular stress on their plate. But his first month is one where quick decisions and good decisions — not always compatible — have to be the same thing if Leeds are to hit the Championship hard and in a productive way. People around here are realistic, Farke said on Tuesday. They are not dreamers. And true, his job does not look simple. But within reason, Leeds will expect. It always expects.
To be fair if it’s true that Wober stays, then bye bye to Cooper and Struijk for me: Cooper and Struijk have decisions to make as Wober to stay at Leeds
Leeds have posted a photo of Cody Drameh in traing and he looks like he’s enjoying himself, so maybe he’s staying? please log in to view this image
I never want to see Struijk in a Leeds shirt again. He's absolutely dreadful. He's nearly as **** as Firpo. If we can bin off Bamford, Firpo and Struijk then we'd be much stronger even if it's just for the fact that they actively scupper anything we try and do. Meslier needs to **** off too. He's gone backwards the last 2 years.
Kristensen said he wanted to stay but got tempted by Roma, however things not going to plan and could end up staying which is great if we have Drameh and Kristensen and Ayling as any of those 3 can cover CB too. Wober staying is great but hearing the club are speaking about Adams and Rodrigo staying too. 49ers involved with Adams and Rodrigo trying to put something together based upon promotion bonus? If that happens and we keep Sinisterra too game on
Right shyt starting to happen and why we should never deal with skint clubs. Roma reneged on a deal last season for Llorente and think they should do it again, but 49ers have told them to fook off. Buy him next summer or he stays at Leeds. So Roma said ok we’ll take Kristensen instead and again 49ers have told them to fook off. Right now Llorente is still a Leeds player and way better than some of the CBs mentioned as being looked at. Obviously going to trigger a lot on here
If what I'm hearing today is true Wober and Adams want to stay that's massive for us in the Championship, The 3 I wanted to stay Wober,Adams,Sini could still be on. Thing is we could be playing hardball too Villa seemed to be interested in Adams but not at our asking price but this sort of news could make teams switch on a few red lights. Only time will tell I guess as every player has a price. Having American owners could swing in the favour of keeping Adams if he does stay I'd be over the moon as he would be my number one choice of any player to keep from the whole of last season's squad. I'm just letting the club put the jigsaw pieces into place as Ive had enough of previous season's of weighing up all the permutations of who's staying and who's going. only to be disappointed. what will be will be I guess. But getting any of these 3 for me would be a fantastic platform to build from.
I’m okay with Farke, he’d not have been my first choice but we have to be realistic. I felt it was pretty obvious very early on that Jesse was all talk and just a text book coach without a clue in the real world. I’m surprised Farke has a 4 year deal, I think we’ll storm the division and finish top. I’ve never brought into the gossip that we’ll sell all our better players and I think we’d still be favourite for promotion under Parker and a few others we were linked with. Is Farke good enough for the PL, we’ll see, win promotion and he’ll be given a chance.
A couple of Villa fans I know think Adams is a very poor man’s Rice and they’re disappointed Villa are not scouting for someone better
