A new campaign is on the horizon and once again Leeds United will be chasing promotion to the Premier League.
Under Daniel Farke in the 2023-24 season, Leeds showed a lot of potential but it ended in heartbreak at Wembley, where they lost in the Championship play-off final to Southampton.
Can they do better in 2024-25? What impact will player sales have? Who is ready to step up?
This is The Athletic’s preview of what to expect from Leeds…
Summer and pre-season have been…
Secretive and more stressful than anticipated. The former because Leeds had to keep their pre-season camp in Germany entirely under wraps after the authorities told the club that fans would not be welcome to travel for pre-season friendlies. The latter because, while exits were expected, few would have predicted quite so many sales this summer window.
After the blow of losing Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur came a degree of squad trimming, but then Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham United caused more alarm. There is a method to the madness with EFL profitability and sustainability concerns now taken care of and good housekeeping ensuring players have only been recruited once sales have been confirmed, but it has not been an easy summer for supporters.
The loss of Summerville was another blow for fans (Ed Sykes/Getty Images)
Are they in a better place than last season?
With the loss of Summerville, it is hard to argue that the starting XI is stronger than on the final day of last season. There is still plenty of time to rectify that with signings — selling Gray but replacing him with Jayden Bogle is a good example of how Leeds can fill the void — but getting them in soon is important.
In terms of a wider health check of the squad, the picture is better, with several of the players who spent last season out on loan and had little interest in playing for United in the Championship sold off. The team remains one of the strongest in the division.
Which player are you most looking forward to watching?
Mateo Joseph. The 20-year-old has looked full of confidence since returning for pre-season and has scored the goals to back it up. It is exactly what you want to see from a striker. The Spaniard has an air about him that suggests he knows this is his chance to unseat Patrick Bamford as Farke’s starting No 9.
GO DEEPER
Mateo Joseph: ‘This is my season – I just can’t wait to prove it’
His movement, positioning and eye for goal have all improved from an impressive first season in senior football last year, where he was a regular off the bench. A highlight was a brace away at Chelsea in the FA Cup — he did not look out of place against Premier League opposition.
There is a reason England and Spain wanted him to represent them internationally, with the latter winning the battle for a bright young prospect.
Joseph will be looking to make the No 9 position his own (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
The player with a point to prove is…
Brenden Aaronson. It takes a brave man to walk back into a club as big as Leeds, having been part of a woeful relegation season, then left on loan to avoid competing in the Championship and having generally come under fire during Jesse Marsch’s unpopular tenure at Elland Road.
But Aaronson is back after a season at Union Berlin and committed early to Farke’s project after a chat with the German at the start of the summer. It will take a lot to win over the fans but Aaronson is in the right place to do that this season.
Which player could have a breakout season?
Charlie Crew. Handed his first senior cap last season for Wales, the 18-year-old played well after coming off the bench in Leeds’ final friendly of pre-season against Valencia, which they won 2-1.
United have depth in midfield but if they fail to add another player in that area it is feasible that Crew will get more game time. Named as an unused sub in the latter part of last season, a first competitive senior appearance is the next step.
Charlie Crew on international duty in June (Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The deal they still need to do this window
Bring in another full-back. Bogle’s injury (a dead leg that should clear up in time for the opening day of the season) against Valencia showed why Farke wants to add depth. With Bogle, Sam Byram and Junior Firpo the only specialists in either position, at least one reinforcement feels crucial.
Farke showed he could adapt either tactically or with personnel when injuries hit last season but the ideal situation is to have a settled back line and deputies at the ready if needed.
Which Euros or Copa America player would be an ideal signing?
Ideal? Lamine Yamal. Realistic? Probably Callum Styles (Barnsley, Hungary).
The game I’m most looking forward to is…
Either home and away against Derby County. No love lost between the two clubs and the fixtures bookend December, which is always a crucial time for spotting the serious promotion contenders. Could be a lot of fun.
The stat to watch out for
Goals conceded. Leeds had the Championship’s best defensive record until things unravelled with the trip to Queens Park Rangers (4-0 defeat) at the end of last season and Farke has already spoken about why he feels having a strong defence is the key this time around. Matching or bettering last season’s solidity in front of goal will put them in a very healthy position to chase promotion.
Farke will hope for another strong season from Ethan Ampadu (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
How likely is the manager to survive the season?
Highly. Last season was some achievement off the back of a relatively tumultuous pre-season. Ultimately, they let promotion slip, but United would struggle to find a better experienced manager to lead them out of the Championship than the man with two promotions from the division already on his CV.
It would take some disaster for Farke not to make it to the end of the season — but 49ers Enterprises will have no ambition to make it three years in the second tier, so should promotion evade them again, it is hard to see the owner being willing to give him another crack at it.
What is their best XI as things stand?
As seen in the final game of pre-season: Meslier; Firpo, Struijk, Rodon, Bogle; Ampadu, Gruev, Rutter; Gnonto, James, Joseph.
A good season means…
Simple: promotion. Leeds are not here to hang around — they know how easy it is to get sucked into the quicksand of the Championship. Given the play-off hoodoo hanging over the club, early confirmation of a top-two finish would be the ideal outcome.
Predicted league finish
Promoted as champions after a tight battle at the top.
GO DEEPER
Leeds’ pre-season trip to (shh, it’s secret) suggests great promise for 2024-25
(Top photos by Stu Forster via Getty Images)
