With staying in the Premier League a tall order for promoted teams of late, Leeds United’s recruitment drive has had a clear strategy: height.
There are high hopes for Anton Stach in particular, the 6ft 4in defensive midfielder who is viewed as the best of the summer signings and stands an inch taller than Leeds’ two new centre-backs Sebastiaan Bornauw and Jaka Bijol.
Lukas Nmecha comes in at 6ft 1in, goalkeeper Lucas Perri is 6ft 6in, with “minnows” of the pack Gabriel Gudmundsson and Sean Longstaff both 5ft 11in.
All are aged either 26 or 27, indicating another directive to sign players near or in their prime, while Leeds made Dominic Calvert-Lewin their eighth addition on Friday, the 6ft 2in ex-Everton striker the veteran among them at 28.
Calvert-Lewin represents a gamble due to his persistent injury struggles, but having been available as a free agent, Leeds pounced due to their need to be savvy after spending almost £75m.
In all, this desire for height is aimed at Leeds becoming tougher to break down, with set pieces viewed as a potential marginal gain in this business of points – particularly after two seasons of the three promoted teams going straight back down.
LEEDS, ENGLAND - AUGUST 2: Jaka Bijol of Leeds United and Daniel Farke the head coach / manager of Leeds United during the pre-season friendly match between Leeds United and Villarreal CF at Elland Road on August 2, 2025 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
New signing Jaka Bijol with Leeds United manager Daniel Farke (Photo: Getty)
So don’t go expecting Bielsaball at Elland Road, which may only make the neutral sigh. Leeds were the must-watch team for the first half of their last Premier League stint – but though entertaining, it also proved unsustainable.
Marcelo Bielsa’s final five league matches in charge read 5-20 on aggregate, averaging out at a 4-1 defeat per game and enough to end this love affair in February 2022.
Three managers followed in the 15 months that led to relegation before Daniel Farke came in, and despite securing a Premier League return in his second season with 100 points, the spotlight is already burning after Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe held talks with the German over his future in the spring.
There are doubts, but all Farke can do is prove he is in fact top-tier quality after being backed by Marathe, who has overseen a shrewd transfer window that has largely focused on European imports.
“Obviously bringing in players with minimal Premier League experience is always a gamble because of the rigours, speed and physicality of the league,” Simon Rix, Kaiser Chiefs bassist and presenter on BBC’s Leeds United: Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, tells The i Paper.
“We haven’t got a marquee person, but they’ve done their research and it’s about being solid and physical after having one of the smallest teams in the Championship. Stach looks like the pick of the business.”
This improved physicality was evident in pre-season, with draws against AC Milan, Villarreal (both 1-1) and Manchester United (0-0).
Barely scoring or conceding may therefore divide those who see the glass half-full or half-empty, but Farke is well aware of his side’s need to strengthen in attack despite the promising defensive displays.
“We are not naive,” Farke said after Villarreal. “We know that even in comparison to our Championship offence you could say that we are not much improved and are not ready for Premier League level.
“We definitely have to make sure that latest after the first international break we have really a competitive squad for the Premier League. We are not anxious but fully aware we need to do something.”
Rix’s desire for a creative player is echoed by James Weller from the Leeds, That! podcast, who also identified their key player this season.
“We’ve strengthened the spine by adding Bijol, Longstaff and Stach this summer. The midfield looks strong, but our attack still needs work – a winger and another striker remain priorities,” Weller tells The i Paper.
“Defensively, we’re more solid but must adapt to spending more time out of possession and be clinical when chances come. Joel Piroe could be the difference – he’s excellent at finding space and lethal in front of goal.”
First up for Leeds are Everton on Monday night under the Elland Road lights.
It will be necessary for Leeds to drag at least one non-promoted club into the relegation scrap, with West Ham and weakened Wolves and Brentford sides all potential candidates.
“I think the last couple seasons are outliers,” adds Rix. “I think last year’s promoted teams were particularly weak, whereas these teams (Leeds, Sunderland and Burnley) are more capable of coping with the league.”
Opta’s supercomputer predicts all three promoted clubs will go back down, but back Rix’s suggestion it will be closer than last season, when Leicester finished 18th with 25 points, 13 adrift of 17th-placed Tottenham.
Leeds are given a 48.1 per cent chance of relegation by Opta with a projected total of 36 points, while Wolves (42pts), West Ham (44pts) and Fulham (47pts) are deemed to be the three other clubs most in peril.
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“If all three promoted clubs go down, it’ll be another reminder of how big the gap is,” Weller says.
“Leeds must break the yo-yo cycle by being tougher, smarter, taking their chances and hitting around 10 wins. It’s going to be an enormous battle, but there’s definite optimism among Leeds United fans.”
Rix agrees. “Everyone is very optimistic. When we came up with Bielsa everyone felt we could beat anyone, but this time everyone is a bit more pragmatic about 16th or 17th being a good result.
“I describe it as a Goldilocks position, because I guess if it’s somewhere in the middle, then it’s just about right.”