The transfer window has closed and it’s panic stations at Leeds United.
What started as a positive transfer window, as Leeds United improved key areas, turned into a disaster after the deadline, with no additional firepower secured.
Daniel Farke warned that his side needed more attacking quality to survive in the Premier League, with Leeds missing out on Facundo Buonanotte, Dilane Bakwa, Christantus Uche and Harry Wilson in the final weeks of the window.
There’s a sliver of hope that Leeds could try and sign free agents Christian Eriksen or Josh Brownhill after the window has closed, but it’s hardly an ideal situation to be in.
Leeds have a huge fight to survive in the top flight and here is how their summer spending compares with their biggest relegation rivals.
Granit Xhaka in action for Sunderland.
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images
Leeds United transfer spending compared to Burnley, Sunderland, West Ham, Wolves and Brentford
As the three promoted teams have gone straight back down in the last two seasons, Leeds, Sunderland and Burnley are all favourites to be relegated.
However, some established Premier League sides have their own troubles, with Brentford, West Ham and Wolves all candidates to drop to the Championship as well.
Here is who the six teams signed in the summer:
Leeds United signings
Lukas Nmecha – Wolfsburg, free
Jaka Bijol – Udinese, £15m
Sebastiaan Bornauw – Wolfsburg, £5.1m
Gabriel Gudmundsson – Lille, £10.3m
Sean Longstaff – Newcastle United, £12m (rising to £15m)
Anton Stach – Hoffenheim, £17.3m (rising to £19.9m)
Lucas Perri – Lyon, £13.9m (rising to £15.6m)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Everton, free
Noah Okafor – AC Milan, £13m (rising to £18m)
James Justin – Leicester City, £8m (rising to £10m)
Total spend: £94.6m (rising to £108.9m)
Sunderland signings
Granit Xhaka – Bayer Leverkusen, £17.3m
Simon Adingra – Brighton, £20.5m
Habib Diarra – Strasbourg, £30m
Enzo Le Fee – Roma, £20m
Noah Sadiki – Union Saint-Gilloise, £17.5m
Reinildo Mandava – Atletico Madrid, free
Chemsdine Talbi – Club Brugge, £19m
Robin Roefs – NEC Nijmegen, £11.5m
Arthur Masuaku – Besiktas, free
Omar Alderete – Getafe, £10m
Nordi Mukiele – Paris Saint-Germain, £12m
Lutsharel Geertruida – RB Leipzig, loan
Brian Brobbey – Ajax, £21.3m
Bertrand Traore – Ajax, £2.5m
Total spend: £181.6m
Burnley signings
Kyle Walker – Man City, £5m
Loum Tchaouna – Lazio, £12m
Axel Tuanzebe – Ipswich, free
Quilindschy Hartman – Feyenoord, £7.7m
Bashir Humphreys – Chelsea, £10m
Jaidon Anthony – Bournemouth, £8m
Marcus Edwards – Sporting CP, £8.5m
Zian Flemming – Millwall, £7m
Max Weiss – Karlsruher, £4.2m
Jacob Bruun Larsen – Stuttgart, £3.4m
Lesley Ugochukwu – Chelsea, £23m
Martin Dubravka – Newcastle, £3m
Armando Broja – Chelsea, £20m
Fiorentino Luis – Benfica, loan
Total spend: £111.8m
Wolves signings
Fer Lopez – Celta, £21.3m
Jorgen Strand Larsen – Celta Vigo, £23m
Jhon Arias – Fluminense, £15m
David Moller Wolfe – AZ Alkmaar, £10m
Jackson Tchatchoua – Hellas Verona, £10.8m
Ladislav Krejci – Girona, loan
Tolu Arokodare – Genk, £23.4m
Total spend: £103.5m
West Ham United signings
Jean-Clair Todibo – Nice, £35m
El Hadji Malick Diouf – Slavia Prague, £19m
Daniel Cummings – Celtic, free
Kyle Walker-Peters – Southampton, free
Callum Wilson – Newcastle, free
Mads Hermansen – Leicester City, £18m
Mateus Fernandes – Southampton, £42m
Soungoutou Magassa – Monaco, £17.3m
Igor Julio – Brighton, loan
Total spend: £131.3m
Brentford signings
Michael Kayode – Fiorentina, £14m
Romelle Donovan – Birmingham, £3m
Caoimhin Kelleher – Liverpool, £18m
Antoni Milambo – Feyenoord, £18.8m
Jordan Henderson – Ajax, free
Dango Ouattara – Bournemouth, £42m
Reiss Nelson – Arsenal, loan
Total spend: £95.8m
Who will suffer Premier League relegation in 2025-26?
With all add-ons fees included, Leeds were the third lowest spenders of the top six relegation candidates in the 2025-26 season.
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Brentford were the lowest with an outlay of just £95.8m, fuelling many people’s theory that the Bees’ time in the top flight could come to an end.
They have suffered a lot of losses in the summer with Thomas Frank and star players Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard all heading for the exit, though new striker Dango Ouattara has hit the ground running.
Then there’s Wolves, the only side in the top flight who are yet to pick up a single point so far. They spent £103.5m and have just four midfielders in their squad in what could be a difficult campaign after losing stars Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait Nouri.
The three promoted sides will need some established Premier League teams to struggle if they are to buck the trend and survive.
Sunderland and Burnley have done all they can to try and secure their spots by spending heavily, with both clubs outgunning Leeds in the transfer market.
Come May, that’s what might make the difference and send the Whites down.