Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is under pressure at Elland Road for no fault of his. The speculation around his future has increased due to Nottingham Forest’s sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo, who has emerged as a favourite to replace the German if the Whites decide to sack him.
Fare is one of the most successful managers in recent Leeds history, and his team scored 100 points in the Championship to dominate their way back into the Premier League after a two-year absence.
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However, the German coach’s record in the Premier League has led to question marks over whether Leeds will consider sacking him at the first hint of any trouble this season, despite the club making a solid start to their campaign with four points in three games.
Nuno’s sacking from Forest has further added fuel to rumours of Farke eventually exiting Leeds at some point this season, despite little suggestion that the club are prepared to part ways with him.
However, it has emerged that Nuno is not a name the club hierarchy are hearing for the first time.
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Leeds United interviewed Nuno Espirito Santo in 2023
The 51-year-old Portuguese coach’s successful spells at Wolves and Forest have cemented his reputation as one of the most appealing candidates for any Premier League club seeking a new manager in the coming months.
Farke is not under threat from the club, but a growing section of Leeds fans want Nuno if the club are forced to make a change at some point this season.
According to The Times, Leeds held talks with Nuno in 2023 to become their new manager following the dismissal of Jesse Marsch.
The Portuguese was in Saudi Arabia with Al Ittihad at that stage, and it would have taken around £5m to get him out of his contract with the Saudi Pro League club.
However, Leeds moved in another direction, and the club eventually suffered relegation from the Premier League at the end of that season.
For the moment, there is no appetite for Leeds to change managers, but Nuno’s availability means the club may be tempted to do so if results go south in the coming months.
Farke needs to keep his head above water to survive until the January transfer window
The sacking of Nuno at Forest has increased the pressure on Farke or any other Premier League manager in the bottom half of the table.
The Leeds manager is not under any immediate threat, but that could change quickly if Leeds do not get the desired results in the next couple of months.
With the 49ers having grand plans of turning Leeds into a £1bn club, they cannot afford the risk of the Whites suffering relegation back to the Championship.
Farke needs to ensure that Leeds have enough points on board before the January transfer window to get another shot at improving his squad to boost their survival hopes.
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