Leeds United have a huge task on their hands in the 2025/26 Premier League season. They will be looking to defy the odds and survive relegation from the English top flight, which is not something the last six promoted clubs from the past two seasons have managed.
The Whites, who were centurions with their points tally in the Championship last season, will be relying on the quality already in the squad, coming from the likes of Ethan Ampadu. However, they have also been busy in the transfer market, too, with Jaka Bijol the headline signing so far.
ampadu-leeds-championship
Yet, the Yorkshire outfit do not seem to be done just yet, when it comes to incomings. Reports in the last couple of days suggest they are set to strengthen in midfield.
Leeds' latest midfield target
Daniel Farke’s side have already got Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff in their sights. The Guardian have recently reported that a £12m deal, including add-ons, is a real possibility, with personal terms easy to agree.
However, the Magpies’ academy graduate is not the only midfielder Leeds are targeting.
German news outlet Bild are reporting that they are ‘very interested’ in signing Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach.
Hoffenheim's Anton Stach
The Bundesliga side are said to be reluctant to sell but ‘willing to discuss a suitable offer’ if Leeds submit one. However, they are standing firm on their price.
Hoffenheim are demanding at least £17m from the Whites to do a deal, explaining that they need to ‘dig deep into their pockets’ to sign him.
Why Stach would be a good signing
Stach would bring to Leeds two crucial things you need to help survive in the Premier League. They are experience, which he has plenty of, being 26 years of age, and physicality. Given that he stands at 6 foot 4, it is safe to assume he can handle the physical nature of the league.
anton-stach
As for the experience aspect, the German midfielder is a key part of the Hoffenheim side. He made 39 appearances last season, with six of those coming in the Europa League. That included a group stage appearance against Tottenham Hotspur, a game in which he scored.
One of the interesting things about Stach is his versatility. Whilst he is a midfielder by trade, described as an “anchor” by football scout Antonio Mango, the 26-year-old can also slot in at centre-back. Last term for Hoffenheim, he played as a defensive midfielder 26 times and at the heart of his side’s defence on 13 occasions.
That is similar to one of Leeds’ most important players, Ampadu. The Welshman is also a versatile footballer and played a similar role to Stach last term. He slotted in at centre-back 16 times and the base of the midfield 13.
Ethan-Ampadu
The value of having a player with this profile in your squad was highlighted by Farke back in December. He described Ampadu as “my most important player”, showing just how crucial he is to the side. For Leeds to have two players of that profile would surely serve them well.
Indeed, not only are they similar in this sense, but Stach and Ampadu have similar numbers on FBref. Both are progressive players, with the German averaging 5.3 progressive passes each game compared to the Leeds star’s 4.17 progressive passes per 90 minutes.
On top of that, look at the similarity between their ball recovery numbers. Stach averages 5.96 per game compared to Ampadu’s 5.08. They are neck and neck.
Stach and Ampadu key stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Progressive passes
Tackles and interceptions
Blocks
Progressive carries
Ball recoveries
Aerial duels won
Stats from FBref
If Leeds get this deal over the line, Stach could switch to Elland Road and become, in many ways, the second coming of their number four, Amapdu. Farke has made it clear that this profile is important, so having two players with that versatility would be a huge benefit.
Stach
For just £17m, a deal for this “fantastic” player, as Mango called him, could be one of the bargains of the summer.
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