The Premier League will welcome Leeds United back into the top-flight, with their opener against Everton to be played at Elland Road.
The current mood around the club is positive - albeit mixed with nerves - considering the poise for more transfer activity to be completed before the league season is underway.
When Leeds United missed out on promotion at the end of the 2023/24 Championship season, the Whites knew that they could not miss out for a second time in a row.
They got off to an excellent start in attempting to reclaim their sport in the Premier League, losing only one of their first 13 games. Unfortunately for Daniel Farke’s men, that solitary defeat came against the team many thought would be their direct rivals for promotion, Burnley. Within those first 13 games, the performances and goals of forward Joël Piroe particularly stood out.
As we moved into November, Leeds experienced something of a wobble, losing two games. One at the beginning of the month and one at the end. These losses would be the side’s last until March as they went on an unbeaten run that would last over three months, a run that included 12 wins and five draws.
Unfortunately for them, Burnley were just as unrelenting, also going on a huge unbeaten run, one even longer than Leeds’. It was clear for a long time that these were the top two in the division; it was just a matter of separating them into first and second place.
In April, when Leeds dismantled Stoke City 6-0 and Sheffield United lost to Burnley at Turf Moor, the Yorkshire side’s promotion to England’s top division was confirmed.
It came down to the last day to determine the Champions, and with Leeds drawing to an effectively already relegated Plymouth Argyle, while title rivals Burnley were cruising to victory over Millwall, it looked like the trophy would be heading towards Lancashire, but then in the last minute at Ellan Road, Manor Solomon danced his way into the box and finished coolly to win the game, and then, thanks to Leeds’ superior goal difference, won them the title, too.
A crazy end to a remarkable season.
Author - Matthew Shotter
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Transfer Activity
Leeds United have been active in the summer transfer window, bringing in seven new faces to bolster their squad ahead of a return to the Premier League under Daniel Farke.
Here's a brief overview over what fans can expect from each signing.
Anton Stach (Defensive Midfield)
Signed from Hoffenheim for £17.4m, the German adds height, aggression, and composure at the base of midfield. Stach excels in duels and brings experience from the Bundesliga.
Fans have already seen flashes of Stach's quality, with the 26-year-old impressing in pre-season against Villarreal.
Jaka Bijol (Centre-Back)
A £15m addition from Udinese, Bijol is a no-nonsense defender who adds aerial presence and ball-winning strength. His positional discipline will complement Leeds’ backline - a trait much needed in the top-flight.
Lucas Perri (Goalkeeper)
Costing £15.6m from Lyon, Perri is expected to be the new No.1. With 13 clean sheets last season, he offers composure, distribution, and European experience.
Fans will hope he can very much be the replacement for Illan Meslier in the long-term.
Sean Longstaff (Central Midfield)
Brought in for £12m from Newcastle, Longstaff provides Premier League know-how and box-to-box energy. He’ll add drive, nous and balance to a new-look midfield.
Gabriel Gudmundsson (Left-Back)
Signed from Lille for £10m, the Swedish full-back offers pace, overlapping runs, and defensive reliability.
Fans will hope Gudmundsson will adapt quickly, to stop fans from reminiscing over Junior Firpo, who recently departed for Spain.
Sebastiaan Bornauw (Centre-Back)
Acquired from Wolfsburg for £5.1m, Bornauw brings physicality and tactical awareness. He provides depth and competition in central defence.
Lukas Nmecha (Centre-Forward)
A free signing from Wolfsburg, Nmecha brings versatility across the front line. Though injury-prone, he’s a useful option with top-flight experience.
Leeds have strengthened every area of the pitch in the transfer window thus far, showing serious ambition to fight for their place amongst England’s elite.
Author - Sean Gilmartin
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One player to watch - Anton Stach
To match the physicality of the Premier League, Leeds will need a midfield enforcer, and Anton Stach is already looking like the man to anchor that profile.
The 6ft 4in German, prised from Hoffenheim for £17m earlier this summer, has lit up pre-season, turning heads with a blend of brute strength and intelligence on and off-the-ball that screams top-flight quality.
Forget the Championship grind - Stach is the player to watch as Leeds kick off against Everton. His pre-season showings have already shown fans what they will be treated to this season.
He bossed the midfield against Villarreal, snapping into tackles and spraying a peach of a through ball that nearly carved out a goal for Lukas Nmecha.
His thunderbolt against AC Milan in Dublin had Whites faithful on their feet, with his confidence and knack to shoot from range very much on display. Compared to Ethan Ampadu’s tenacity or Ao Tanaka’s neat footwork, Stach’s physicality and awareness certainly helps form a balanced midfield with real dynamism.
Farke’s system craves a midfielder who can shield the backline and spark attacks, and Stach’s characteristics over the years prove he’s built for it.
If the 26-year-old keeps this up, he may well comfortably go on to be Leeds' main beacon of hope this season.
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Strongest XI
Daniel Farke’s side are shaping up with a refreshed, competitive squad - and a new-look eleven with depth and quality across the pitch.
Here’s a look at the club’s strongest starting lineup in an ideal 4-3-3 formation.
Strongest XI: Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Gudmundsson; Ampadu, Stach, Tanaka; Gnonto, James, Piroe
Fresh from Lyon, Perri takes over the No.1 shirt. His ability to dominate the box when facing crosses and shots, as well as his European pedigree make him the standout choice in goal.
Gudmundsson offers energy and overlapping width on the left.
Rodon and Struijk form a solid central partnership - Rodon with aerial dominance, Struijk with composure and ability to break the lines.
On the right, Bogle’s attacking instincts provide thrust and real quality in transition.
A physically dominant midfield trio - Stach shields the backline, presses and connects play, and Ampadu acts as the midfield engine. Tanaka offers a real spark in possession, with the ability to dictate tempo.
It’s a functional, defensively strong core capable of dictating games.
As for the attack, Piroe leads the line with a proven knack of finding the goal, having scored 19 in all competitions last season.
Gnonto's pace and flair, along with his linkup with Bogle offers real threat from the right, while Aaronson brings relentless pressing and the fluidity in being able to drift into central positions, off the left.
Author - Sean Gilmartin
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Analysis into Daniel Farke's tactics
It will be intriguing to see how the Whites pose themselves going into the Premier League season tactically, considering the level of opposition that Daniel Farke's side will face.
Success in the Championship last season came from positive, front-foot methods - full-backs predominantly being the source for creativity. Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo (departed) were key to Farke's side in bombing forward and making under/overlaps. The duo had tendencies to stretch opposition defenses, having contributed 10 goals and 14 assists combined, effectively acting as auxiliary wingers.
Whether Farke will demand the same level of risk from his players however, remains rather unlikely. Compactness off the ball, with directness on the ball will be of essence, if Leeds United are to survive relegation in the top flight.
Plenty of talk has circulated around the dynamics and rotations of the likely midfield three (Stach, Ampadu, Aaronson), but Leeds will pay the consequences if their out-of-possession structure (OOP) isn't compact, organised or well-drilled to the physical and tactical levels required.
Farke’s adaptability, as seen in his shift to a 4-1-4-1/4-3-3 in pre-season, and his focus on quality signings will be crucial to navigate the Premier League's demands as he aims to “prove we can be ready for a whole Premier League season.”
Less said about Farke's last season in the Premier League (relegation with Norwich), the better though..
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Season Expectations
The norm for any side that is promoted from the Championship to the Premier League is to be in the battle for survival, hoping to reach the refuge of the magical 40-point mark that all but confirms your status as a top-flight club.
This will, unfortunately, be the case for Leeds.
The Whites will likely face a season battling to avoid the drop as they bid to become the first promoted side in two years to retain their place in the division, and the signings they have made during this window indicate that Daniel Farke is well aware of what lies ahead for his side.
As he has primarily signed players in their mid-to-late 20s rather than going towards youth.
While it is not completely out of the realm for them to avoid a relegation dog fight and look more towards the middle of the table, that does seem unlikely. Especially in their first season back.
Leeds have not won a cup competition since the early 1970s, and perhaps with their reclamation of Premier League status, a door opens for them to, once again, finally challenge for some silverware.
That is, of course, if they can avoid the aforementioned relegation battle.
The Elland Road side will be hoping that many of the usual suspects who compete for those trophies will either be tied up in competing for European trophies or European places. If that is the case, there is no reason they could not make a play for one of the two domestic trophies.
Author - Matthew Shotter
