Leeds United manager Daniel Farke sent his top scout to a place he knows well last weekend to find bargain signings ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a recent report.
Leeds eye new centre-forward as Bamford nears exit door
Despite the fact that the Whites sit top of the Championship table and have scored the most goals in the division, Farke and co. are keen to strengthen their forward line this summer. Patrick Bamford, who was linked with an Elland Road exit in January, looks set to be coming to the end of his time at the club, as injuries continue to cost him regular minutes.
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His potential departure would leave Leeds light, and therefore, the 49ers are already working on new arrivals. Southampton striker Cameron Archer was heavily linked with a move to the Yorkshire side in January, and he is believed to remain on their list of potential targets.
Meanwhile, according to a report from Africa Foot, the Whites are also keen on signing Almeria striker Ibrahima Kone. This would be an easy enough transfer to complete for the Championship side, as Kone has a release clause worth £8.4 million.
But the list of potential new strikers doesn’t stop there, as Leeds are also interested in signing Vladyslav Vanat from Dynamo Kyiv. However, there is a long list of teams also keen on signing Vanat, with Premier League duo West Ham and Fulham keeping a close eye on the centre-forward.
Farke sends top Leeds scout to Germany
With competition for Vanat and a near £10m price tag on Kone, Farke also has his eyes on cheaper alternatives. According to journalist Alan Nixon, relayed by Football League World, Farke sent his top Leeds scout to Germany to look for bargain deals in the final weekend before the international break.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkecelebrates after the match
Leeds are still on course to seal promotion to the Premier League, and the boss appears keen to get ahead of the rest and therefore wanted his scouts to watch Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 games last weekend, as he believes there are always bargains to be found in the country where he broke through in management.
The 48-year-old, who is closing in on 100 games in charge of Leeds, has managed at several levels in Germany and has shopped there before, with Ao Tanaka perhaps the biggest success story in recent times.
Swansea City
H
Luton
A
Middlesbrough
A
Preston
H
Oxford
A
Stoke
H
Bristol City
H
Plymouth
A
It is unclear if the scouts found any potential targets, but it probably won’t be the last time Farke sends his scouts on a mission in the next few weeks, as he will want all preparation to be complete should his side seal that expected promotion to England’s top tier.
It is likely the 49ers will significantly back Farke in the transfer window if they go up, but the Leeds boss will face significant pressure if the wheels come off from here.
Glasgow Rangers fans may not have too many reasons to be excited by what has happened on the pitch for them in the 2024/25 campaign so far, aside from the recent 3-1 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
The Gers are 16 points behind their rivals in the race for the Scottish Premiership title and they have already been knocked out of both the League Cup and the SFA Cup.
This means that the Europa League is their last, realistic, chance to win a trophy this season, and they got off to a great start in the first leg of their last 16 clash with Jose Mourinho’s side.
The Ibrox supporters, however, do have a lot to be excited about off the pitch as Sky Sports recently reported that a takeover has been agreed in principle for US investors, backed by 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe.
It is reportedly expected to be completed before the start of next season, which will allow the new owners to come in and make big decisions – on the new manager and the fate of the playing squad.
Wage Burners
They will, firstly, need to make decisions, in conjunction with the new management team, on the players who are out of contract this summer.
Rangers players who are out of contract this summer
There are three first-team players who are out of contract at Ibrox at the end of this season, including Leon Balogun, Tom Lawrence, and Ianis Hagi.
Rafael Fernandes and Oscar Cortes’ loans expire, but Rangers have an option to make their deals permanent, whilst Vaclav Cerny and Neraysho Kasanwirjo are both set to return to their clubs upon the expiry of their loan deals.
Vaclav Cerny
Of the three players only contracted to Rangers, the 49ers must attempt to convince Hagi to remain at Ibrox on extended terms, due to his form this season.
The Romania international has racked up four goals and seven assists in 24 appearances in all competitions, with all seven of those assists coming in his 19 outings in the Premiership.
Appearances (starts)
19 (16)
Goals
3
Big chances created
5
Key passes per game
1.9
Pass accuracy
82%
Duel success rate
50%
As you can see in the table above, Hagi has offered a threat at the top end of the pitch from an attacking midfield position, whilst also being able to hold his own in physical battles with opposition defenders.
At the age of 26, the Romanian playmaker still has plenty to offer and that is why the 49ers should look to extend his current contract at Ibrox, particularly when you consider that he is not reportedly among the top five earners at the club.
The top earners at Rangers
According to Capology, the 26-year-old star earns £21k-per-week on his current contract with the Light Blues, which ranks him ninth in the squad.
Club captain James Tavernier is reportedly the highest earner on £30k-per-week. That is understandable when you consider that the 33-year-old star has racked up 129 goals and 140 assists in 501 appearances in all competitions for the Gers to date.
Wolfsburg loanee Cerny, who is due to return to the Bundesliga club at the end of this season, is joint with Cyriel Dessers as the second-highest paid player at Ibrox on £27k-per-week.
James Tavernier
£30k
Vaclav Cerny
£27k
Cyriel Dessers
£27k
Danilo
£26k
Jack Butland
£25k
Rabbi Matondo
£23k
Dujon Sterling
£22k
Tom Lawrence
£22k
Ianis Hagi
£21k
Nicolas Raskin
£19k
As you can see in the table above, Hagi and impressive central midfielder Nicolas Raskin are at the bottom of the top ten higher earners list, which suggests that the Gers have got good value for money out of them this season.
Raskin, who registered an assist against Fenerbahce on Thursday, has averaged 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 25 appearances in the Premiership this season – showing that he has provided a fantastic shield in front of the back four.
The Light Blues have not got great value out of all of those top earners, however, and one of the players the 49ers must boldly ditch in the summer is goalkeeper Jack Butland.
Why the 49ers should move on from Jack Butland
As aforementioned, the former England international is on £25k-per-week and that means that he is earning even more than the likes of Hagi and Raskin, who have starred for the Gers this season.
Unfortunately, the 32-year-old dud has not offered as much quality on the pitch as those two midfield stars, as he has struggled at times between the sticks.
After a return of 25 clean sheets in 58 matches in all competitions for the Scottish giants last season, Butland had set himself up with a solid first season at Ibrox.
However, the English colossus has been error-prone in the current campaign and cost the Gers at times, including against Manchester United in the Europa League with the error in the clip below.
The former Crystal Palace and Stoke City man, who has kept 14 clean sheets in 38 games, has also struggled in the Premiership for the Gers this season.
Appearances
23
Goals prevented
-0.50
Successful run-outs per game
0.3
Error led to shot
2
Error led to goal
1
Penalties committed
1
As you can see in the table above, Butland has underperformed against his xG conceded, letting in 0.5 more goals than expected, and has made three errors that have directly led to a shot or goal for the opposition.
These statistics illustrate his decline in form this term and show why the time could be right for the 49ers to boldly bin the Rangers number one, who has become a liability between the sticks with his subpar shot-stopping and error-prone performances.
The Light Blues are unable to rely on him as the last line of defence because he has put his own defenders under pressure with his mistakes, as well as underperforming against the shots that have come his way.
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He is under contract until the summer of 2027, but the new owners must attempt to find a new club for the English goalkeeper, to open the space for them to go into the market to attempt to source an upgrade in the summer transfer window.
Time may be up for Butland at Ibrox, due to his declining form, but there are still a few months before the end of the season for him, and others, to impress the new ownership and potentially new management team before the 2025/26 campaign.
Under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, Arsenal have come on leaps and bounds.
The Gunners have been transformed from a team languishing in midtable mediocrity to one not only qualifying for the Champions League at a canter but consistently challenging for the Premier League title.
Such a dramatic transformation has been possible thanks to the manager’s leadership and the transfers made under his watch, both the incomings and outgoings.
However, while the majority of departures over the last few years have ultimately helped the team, a strong argument could be made that Granit Xhaka’s exit in 2023 was a mistake, although the good news is the club may finally have someone who could replace him in the starting lineup.
How Granit Xhaka's Arsenal career unfolded
Xhaka completed his move to Arsenal from Bundesliga side Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2016 for around £30m.
The Swiss international’s first couple of campaigns in red and white were not poor per se, but he joined the Gunners at a time in which they were regressing under former manager Arsène Wenger, and, unfortunately, his arrival did little to stop that slide.
Moreover, on top of not contributing much to the attack due to his position on the pitch, the tenacious midfielder began to build a reputation as a bit of a hothead, which, while not necessarily untrue at the time, most certainly became a defining part of his character to many fans and pundits alike.
Everything came to a head in the infamous game against Crystal Palace in November 2019, when frustration with the team, then-manager Unai Emery and a dismal performance led fans to boo when the midfielder was substituted.
In response, the former Mönchengladbach star swore at the fans and threw his shirt and the captain’s armband to the floor, which he was subsequently stripped of – understandably so.
It looked for intents and purposes that the Basel-born firebrand’s time in North London was up.
Still, somehow, Arteta convinced him to stay and fight for his place, which he certainly did, as, over the next few years, he went from outcast to essential cog in the Spaniard’s ever-improving side.
16/17
46
4
3
2
17/18
48
3
8
0
18/19
40
4
5
0
19/20
41
1
2
0
20/21
45
1
2
1
21/22
30
1
2
2
22/23
47
9
7
0
The 32-year-old’s best campaign at the club was undoubtedly his last, as he was able to combine his fiery nature and leadership with his ability to maraud up and down the left-hand side and, thanks to his wand of a left foot, he ended the season with nine goals and seven assists to his name.
Since then, the 135-capped international moved to Leverkusen for around £21.4m, helped them to their first league title ever, and while they don’t look like they’ll get over the line this year, are once again in a title race, so when some fans suggest the club shouldn’t have sold him in 2023, it’s easy to see where they are coming from.
The good news is that Hale End might have just handed Arteta his new Xhaka.
Arsenal's new Granit Xhaka is making an impact
Since his departure, there have been a few players that Arsenal fans have looked upon as potential ‘Xhaka replacements’, from Declan Rice last season to Mikel Merino this year.
However, in reality, the former plays the left-eight role in an entirely different manner to the Swiss ace, and the latter has simply not performed well enough or consistently enough to be compared to him this year.
Instead, the true heir to the former Gooner could come from the academy in the shape of Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Now, it’s true that the youngster has primarily played at left-back this season, but there are a few reasons he could be the 32-year-old’s true successor, and the first is the fact he’s not really a full-back.
Instead, the Islington-born gem is a midfielder, and across his senior and junior career, that is the position he’s played more than any other, with left-back being a close second thanks to his emergence in the first team this season.
On top of that, the 17-year-old, whom former wonderkid and U18 coach Jack Wilshere described as “unplayable,” also has a sensational left foot on him, which we’ve already seen several times this season, such as when he helped to set up the opening goal against AS Monaco in December. Like the former Arsenal skipper, he’s evidently capable of playing balls between the lines and playing in a progressive manner.
Finally, on top of everything else, the incredible prospect, who Hale End expert and podcaster Will Balsam dubbed a “different beast,” has shown he has a fiery side to him.
Myles Lewis-Skelly reacts to being sent off
He notably mocked Erling Haaland following his superb strike against Manchester City earlier this month and then, in a negative sense, when he picked up a straight red card for his foul on Mohammed Kudus last weekend.
Ultimately, Xhaka was a brilliant player for Arsenal, and while it might still be early days, it looks like they may have finally found his true successor in Lewis-Skelly.
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Looking towards the summer, Nottingham Forest have now reportedly joined the race to sign a Championship star for Nuno Espirito Santo when the transfer window swings open.
Nottingham Forest transfer news
Whilst they’re still sat as high as third in what has been the story of the season, Forest have struggled to find their form since returning from a warm-weather training camp at the beginning of the month.
Having been forced to defeat Exeter City on penalties in the FA Cup, they were then defeated by Fulham before top four rivals Newcastle United made matters worse with a 4-3 victory in a game that saw the Magpies take a 4-1 lead at half-time.
Those at the City Ground will be desperately hoping that a recent blip does not threaten to pick an otherwise incredible season apart, making Arsenal’s visit all the more important.
Victory over the Gunners would see Forest close the gap on Mikel Arteta’s side in second by just three points to perhaps spark hope that their season could yet get even better. With Champions League qualification still the surprise goal, the Midlands club could have European football in their corner as they chase one target’s signature this summer.
According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Nottingham Forest are now battling to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough alongside Crystal Palace this summer.
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The Boro midfielder is reportedly valued at £20m following another impressive season in the Championship and could yet find himself at the centre of a Premier League race when the window swings open.
On paper, Forest should be best placed to welcome such players given their recent rise, which could yet include Champions League football. But with the ball potentially in Hackney’s court, he will have a decision to make.
"Special" Hackney is one to watch
Still just 22 years old, Hackney looks destined to reach the Premier League with or without Middlesbrough. The defensive midfielder has enjoyed another solid campaign, even as Boro’s play-off ambitions continue to fall away, with Forest now eyeing his signature and the chance to form quite the partnership at the heart of their side.
Hayden Hackney for Middlesbrough.
Alongside Elliot Anderson, Hackney could form a midfield partnership which steals the headlines for years to come at the City Ground – perhaps even on the European stage next season. Described as “special” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the Boro star is more than ready to step into the top flight this summer.
Boro’s £20m asking price may seem steep for a player who is yet to even step foot in the Premier League, but Hackney is a worthwhile investment as a midfield talent still approaching the peak of his powers, as Forest could find out this summer.
The agents of a Manchester United player, who has received high praise from Ruben Amorim, are now actively working on a summer move, with a Champions League club keen on a move.
Major rebuild needed at Old Trafford
Man United have recently announced they will make up to 200 more staff redundant, in the latest series of cost-cutting measures put in place by co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, with the club saying: “The transformation plan aims to return the club to profitability after five consecutive years of losses since 2019.”
Difficult decisions are being made behind the scenes to make United profitable again, but a major rebuild of the squad will be needed if they are to start competing for the top honours.
The Red Devils are sitting 15th in the Premier League table with less than a third of the season left to play, so it is clear an overhaul is needed this summer, and a number of first-team players could face the axe.
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One player not mentioned on that list is Mason Mount, who has had a tough time with injuries this season, missing the last 10 Premier League games with a thigh issue.
However, a new report from Inter Live has now revealed Mount’s agents are now actively working on securing a move away from Old Trafford in the summer, with Inter now willing to bring the midfielder in on loan.
Inter would only be willing to sanction a loan move, with an option to buy, but they would be willing to make a significant contribution towards the 26-year-old’s salary, which is said to be very high.
The Englishman arrived at Old Trafford for a fee of £55m nearly two years ago, but his value has now plummeted to just €30m (£25m), after a difficult spell in Manchester.
Mount struggling with injuries
Injuries have not helped the central midfielder, but in truth he has struggled in a Man United shirt ever since arriving from Chelsea, registering just two goal contributions in all competitions.
Amorim has been full of praise for the £250k-per-week earner in the past, saying: “I have to tell you I love that kid. You can look in his eyes that he wants this so bad, and this is the most important thing for me.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim gives instructions to Manchester United'sMasonMount
“I know he was suffering from injuries, he was not on the pitch, but now he’s trying to stay fit and we hope he can continue to be fit, to show all the talent that he’s shown, for example, in Chelsea.”
However, the former Chelsea man has been unable to put his persistent injury problems behind him, having now missed a total of 45 games since joining the Red Devils, so it may be wise to move Mount on this summer, and Inter being willing to make a big contribution to his salary is a bonus.
It’s been an absolutely frantic last 48 hours at Tottenham, and that isn’t just concerning their dramatic move for Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White after confirming the arrival of Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.
Tottenham talks held with £50m star amid Gibbs-White chase, Frank's a fan
Spurs have discussed another potential deal.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025
Spurs announced Kudus’ signing in a deal worth £55 million on Thursday evening, with the versatile Ghanaian becoming the first player to swap West Ham for the Lilywhites since Scott Parker in 2011.
The 24-year-old has already promised to excite supporters on the field when speaking in his first interview as a Tottenham player, and there was a real expectation that Gibbs-White would immediately follow Kudus to N17.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
Tottenham talks for the England international accelerated rapidly on Thursday, with reliable media sources reporting that the 25-year-old was all set to join Thomas Frank’s side and a medical had been scheduled for Friday (Fabrizio Romano).
However, in an absolutely stunning turn of events, Forest put a stop to the deal and are considering legal action against Spurs, over what they perceive to be an illegal approach for their star forward.
While Gibbs-White’s move could still happen, with the expectation being that Forest can’t completely block it, this transfer will at the very least be delayed, as first reported by Sky Sports’ Rob Dorsett.
With Tottenham now braced for a legal saga surrounding their potential deal for Gibbs-White, the club do remain in the market for other transfer targets, and they still maintain a serious interest in Brentford striker Yoane Wissa.
Yoane Wissa pushing to leave Brentford amid Tottenham interest
Reports earlier this week claimed that Tottenham have made contact with Wissa’s representatives, with talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook now sharing an update on the situation.
Crook states that Wissa is keen to reunite with Frank at Spurs, and the Congolese centre-forward is now “pushing” for an exit from the Gtech Community Stadium as he seeks a high-profile move.
The 28-year-old is currently in his prime and in the form of his life, having netted 20 goals in all competitions last season, and this has motivated Brentford chiefs to slap a £50 million price tag on his head.
Brentford have already lost a few key men this summer, including Frank, with Christian Norgaard joining Arsenal and Man United still locked in talks over a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.
The Bees will likely dig their heels in when it comes to letting yet another “exceptional player” leave, but Wissa would come as an excellent potential replacement for Richarlison, who’s reportedly attracting interest from Brazil.
Liverpool have reportedly made their first approach to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United and could now break the British transfer record for a second time this summer.
Liverpool make first approach to sign Isak
Whilst the initial consensus was reportedly that Newcastle United’s attempted move to sign Hugo Ekitike would not leave the door ajar for Isak’s exit, Liverpool didn’t seem to receive that message. Now, according to David Ornstein, the Reds have made their first approach to sign the Swede in another big-money deal.
As things stand, Newcastle’s stance, as it has always been, is that Isak is not for sale. But Liverpool’s decision to make their approach may yet have loosened their grip on one of the Premier League’s hottest talents. From ‘not for sale’, a record-breaking £120m price tag has now been mooted, which could hand Liverpool the encouragement they need.
Liverpool’s admiration for Isak is far from new and it certainly isn’t a surprise. If there was a weakness in Arne Slot’s Premier League-winning side last season, it came in the No.9 role, as Luis Diaz was often forced to play out-of-position to lead the line and Darwin Nunez continued to struggle.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
Now that both have been linked with moves away to Bayern Munich and now AC Milan respectively, however, Liverpool may finally have the funds and room to welcome the ultimate solution to their striker problem. In one summer, the Reds could go from Diaz, Nunez and Mohamed Salah to arguably the world’s best trio in Florian Wirtz, Isak and Salah.
Starts
34
25
38
Goals
23
10
29
Assists
6
12
18
Expected Goals
20.3
9.4
25.2
There’s still a long way to go before Isak becomes Liverpool’s next No.9, but that’s not to say Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes don’t already have their next trick planned.
What Liverpool plan to do next in Isak chase
According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool will “for sure” submit a club-record bid to sign Isak this summer and follow up their initial approach. The Swede is their “dream” target in a deal that could reportedly cost in the region of £120m.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “For sure, Liverpool want to try for their dream target with an eventual club-record bid. Liverpool have intention to try and they made an approach with Newcastle.”
The transfer specialist then went on to reveal that if Liverpool fail in their pursuit of Isak, then their attention will turn back towards Ekitike. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has been the subject of a £60m+ bid by Newcastle, but the Magpies could now be facing a lose-lose situation up against the Reds in a ruthless mood.
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ByAngus Sinclair Jul 15, 2025
As the season approaches and the transfer window progresses, both forwards are likely to steal plenty more headlines. As things stand, however, in a transfer battle between Liverpool and Newcastle, it seems as though the Premier League champions have the edge.
Tottenham are ready to back new manager Thomas Frank in the summer transfer market, with Daniel Levy poised to follow up his deals for Mathys Tel and Kota Takai by completing a £55 million move for West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus.
Tottenham open talks with Premier League club to sign £30m star with Kudus
The Ghanaian isn’t Spurs’ only target.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025
The Ghanaian, after weeks of talks, is set for his third season in London, but at a rival club, with Kudus expected to undergo a medical imminently ahead of his proposed switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
On Wednesday, news first emerged from the reliable David Ornstein that Spurs and West Ham have finally reached an agreement over the 24-year-old’s transfer, and it will be the first piece of business between both sides since Scott Parker’s move to Tottenham in 2011.
The versatile £90,000-per-week former Ajax star, who can be deployed on the left-wing, right-wing, in central attacking midfield and even as a centre-forward, is one of the Premier League’s most devastating dribblers.
Only Man City’s Jeremy Doku completed more successful take-ons per 90 on average than Kudus in the top flight last term (WhoScored), and that was in a campaign where many critics thought he didn’t quite perform at his best level compared to his debut season.
Kudus could be rejuvenated by his pending move to Spurs, with the forward now braced for an opportunity to play Champions League football for the first time since his final year at Ajax.
“Congratulations to Tottenham because they signed an excellent player to start this new project with the new coach Thomas Frank,” said Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel.
“Agreement done for Mohamed Kudus. I told you over the weekend only Tottenham despite the reports about Chelsea, despite the reports about more clubs, the player only wanted to go to Tottenham.
“Very clear in his intentions despite calls and approaches from several clubs. Kudus wanted to play for Spurs and now the deal is completed. £55 million paid in three years for Mohamed Kudus to leave West Ham and join Tottenham Hotspur.”
Mohammed Kudus put in transfer request to join Tottenham
Interestingly, West Ham insider Claret & Hugh have shared just how desperate Kudus is to link up with Frank across the English capital.
Sharing information and quoting a “top” London Stadium source of theirs, C&H report that Kudus “put in a transfer request” to force through a move to Tottenham – so Frank will be working with a player who’s very enthusiastic about donning the Lilywhites jersey.
Many Spurs supporters will remember Kudus’ bust-up with Micky van de Ven and Pape Sarr during a 4-1 London derby win last season, which resulted in the player’s sending off and an eventual five-match ban.
However, both van de Ven and Sarr will now seemingly have to put any tensions with their new teammate behind them, with Kudus on the verge of completing a move to N17.
Leeds United are looking to buck the recent trend and avoid relegation from the Premier League in 2025/26 after a memorable title-winning Championship campaign.
Daniel Farke will be backed by the 49ers Enterprises in the transfer market, with Jaka Bijol the first marquee signing of the window after forward Lukas Nmecha joined on a free transfer.
Bijol cost Leeds around £15m from Udinese and penned a five-year deal at Elland Road, and it’s no secret that the club want more additions before their top-flight opener at home to Everton on August 18.
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AI has actually predicted Leeds to avoid relegation this season, and Grok has now forecasted how the Whites will line up in 2025/26, changing from a 4-3-2-1 system to a 4-3-3.
AI predicts Leeds United’s 2025/26 starting line-up 1 GK: Nick Pope
With the future of Illan Meslier up in the air, Leeds are on the search for a new first-choice goalkeeper and have been linked with Newcastle United’s Nick Pope.
The England international has plenty of Premier League experience and, although he may cost a big fee, Grok says most importantly, Pope will offer ‘reliability’ at Elland Road.
2 RB: Jayden Bogle
In what was a brilliant first season, Jayden Bogle has been backed to keep his spot as Leeds’ main right-back.
Costing just £5m from Sheffield United, Bogle has proven to be a shrewd signing and is viewed as the ‘long-term fit for the right-back role’.
3 CB: Jaka Bijol
New signing Jaka Bijol is predicted to start ahead of Pascal Struijk in defence, something which may not come as a shock after Leeds’ swoop.
The Slovenia international ‘brings aerial strength and composure, ideal for the Premier League’s physical demands’, according to Grok.
4 CB: Joe Rodon
A key man under Farke, Joe Rodon is tipped to partner Bijol in central defence, with the Wales international missing just three league games in the last two seasons.
His ‘leadership and familiarity with Farke’s system ensure he remains a starter alongside Bijol’, with Rodon under contract until 2028.
5 LB: Kostas Tsimikas
After helping Leeds to the Championship title, Junior Firpo is on course to leave the Whites at the end of the month on a free transfer.
A new left-back will be required to fill the void and Grok has predicted Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas to be that man. Linked with a move to Yorkshire, Tsmikas fits the bill of 49ers targeting players with Premier League experience.
6 CM: Ethan Ampadu
Club captain Ethan Ampadu played more games as a centre-back than he did as a midfielder in 24/25, but he has been predicted to return to his holding midfield role.
Grok says ‘Ampadu’s versatility and defensive nous make him a mainstay in midfield’ under Farke.
7 CM: Anton Stach
With Leeds targeting physicality this summer, Anton Stach is being linked with a move to Elland Road from Bundesliga side Hoffenheim.
The Whites have missed out on Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki to Sunderland, but Stach is seen as the midfield ‘specialist’ Farke and the 49ers are after.
8 CM: Ao Tanaka
Arguably Leeds’ signing of the season last year was Ao Tanaka, who looks ready to make the step up to the Premier League.
The Japan international has even been hailed by Declan Rice for his displays in England, and he could lock horns with the Gunners star in Leeds’ second league game.
9 RW: Daniel James
One of Farke’s most important attackers in the Championship has been Daniel James, who was named Leeds’ Player of the Season for 24/25.
Games
83
Goals
25
Assists
17
The Wales star is also close to a new Elland Road contract, so should keep his place on the right hand side.
10 LW: Wilfried Gnonto
With Manor Solomon potentially staying put at Tottenham, the door is open for Wilfried Gnonto to make the left wing spot his own.
The Italian initially impressed in the Premier League after joining back in 2022, and he could be given the chance to feature heavily this time around under Farke.