Leeds boss Daniel Farke pondering.
Credit: Imago
Niall Togher
Wed 3 September 2025 13:24, UK
Leeds United’s deadline day antics have led to a complete breakdown in faith that the supporters had in the 49ers Enterprises.
Daniel Farke’s forward line went unstrengthened in the final week of the window, with moves for Emi Buendia and Harry Wilson failing to come to fruition on deadline day.
The 49ers have done a lot of good at Leeds, but chairman Paraag Marathe will surely be questioned on the promises that he gave that were ultimately not delivered on.
With the fanbase in turmoil, a Leeds chief has broken the silence regarding United’s deadline day business or lack thereof.
Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe
Credit: Imago
‘Bad day at the end of a good window,’ claims Robbie Evans
Alongside the under-fire sporting director, Adam Underwood, managing director Robbie Evans was also part of the team responsible for the Whites’ recruitment.
Evans confirmed Leeds attempted to sign Wilson on deadline day to local media
The managing director claimed “their club couldn’t get it done” when referring to Fulham
“Whether it was out of time or they just decided not to sell, we don’t know. But it didn’t happen.” Evans also said about Wilson’s proposed move to Elland Road
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In a Q&A with local media on 2 September that can be read in full in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Evans claimed deadline day was simply a “bad day at the end of a good window”.
“When we set out back in May, we had certain targets as far as key positions, key profiles, you know, estimates of the maximum available spend to get towards. And we checked all those boxes. So we brought in all the key players. Got them done early, all the key additions for Daniel,” Evans said.
“We got our top choice of the players that eventually moved. Every single player we signed was a top choice.”
Whilst Leeds missed out on players such as Facundo Buonanotte and Igor Paixao, Evans claims these were the only two players they were in for that moved to different clubs.
Despite United’s frontline being toothless to begin the new Premier League campaign, Leeds’ managing director claimed these types of players were “the cherry on top for us, it wasn’t the pillar that would hold up the window, it was the last bit.”
Harry Wilson playing for Fulham
Credit: Imago
Robbie Evans confirms supporters’ PSR fears
When a lack of money was spent towards the backend of the window, supporters began to speculate whether the club had hit its spending limit to align with the PSR rules.
Correctly, some also wondered how the club were able to put in big money bids for the likes of Paixao, but that money was seemingly not spent elsewhere.
Evans cleared up the confusion by stating Leeds are maxing their PSR out this season, and if Paixao had signed for the West Yorkshire outfit, this would have ultimately resulted in key members of the squad being sold or none of the players that arrived in August being able to join.
Players who arrived in August who may not have been able to join if a move for Paixao, for example, succeeded:
James Justin
Noah Okafor
Dominic Calvert-Lewin
“Unequivocally, we are maxing PSR out this season, this summer. We spent everything we could. If we had gone onto other targets yesterday or onto higher price players back in July.
“The consequences would have been seen in the current roster, in terms of players we either could not add beyond the guys that got brought in, so the players that came in in August wouldn’t have come had those deals been made in July,
“Or you’d see more key players from last year’s promotion side having to go,” Evans said.
Whether fans will accept this, only time will tell.
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