Daniel Farke and the board have been aligned on most transfer matters but this is one area where there might be a difference of opinion
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
11:00, 01 Feb 2026
Karl Darlow had a day to forget on Saturday
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Karl Darlow had a day to forget on Saturday(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Leeds United have four goalkeepers yet it appears Daniel Farke is not entirely satisfied with any of them.
The whole reason Lucas Perri was brought in over the summer was for him to be a certified upgrade on Karl Darlow, yet against the title favourites on Saturday, it was the 35-year-old who began the match as the £15m summer signing watched on from the sidelines.
He watched on as Darlow punched a corner into his own net. He watched on as Darlow made a hash of Arsenal’s third goal. He will probably be watching on from the bench in a crucial relegation clash against Nottingham Forest.
There have been mumblings over whether Lucas Perri was the first choice transfer choice. This remains unclear. Regardless, his signing was rubber-stamped by all involved, with Daniel Farke getting a veto vote on any arrival.
It is clear Perri has not done the business Leeds had hoped he would and it is looking increasingly likely that a new goalkeeper arrives in the summer - though Daniel Farke perhaps hopes it might be sooner.
Farke has told the board his thoughts on acquiring a new goalkeeper this month. While he was not explicit in his words, it is what he didn’t say that sent a clear message.
“Our board knows exactly my feelings about what I think we should do during this window,” he said after full-time on Saturday.
“As I mentioned several times, I won't speak publicly too much about my opinions, because it makes the market just more difficult. And for that, sadly, I can't honestly answer the question.
“So of course, we're always looking to improve the squad and to bring quality players in, and especially in positions where we are perhaps a bit weaker. That's for sure.”
Lucas Perri has been dropped
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Lucas Perri has been dropped(Image: Zach Forster/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Earlier in the January window, a new goalkeeper was not on the radar. It is not known whether Farke has always wanted a new goalkeeper and the board did not oblige, or whether it is something the manager has requested later on.
But this has now become a matter in sharp focus, both due to Farke’s comments and the performances of his top two goalkeepers. Leeds effectively have less than 36 hours to get in a new shot-stopper, if that is indeed what they will look to do.
On the balances of probabilities, they probably will not. Even the chase of Jorgen Strand Larsen was a 'market opportunity' and such opportunities are far less frequent when it comes to goalkeepers.
Never say never, but Leeds would need to pull a rabbit out of the hat if they are to bring in a fresh number one before Monday’s 7pm deadline, and all in light of having no PSR headroom. It’s a boggling situation.
A problem Leeds thought they had solved now leaves them in a mire. Illan Meslier will go for nothing this summer, when he will be a prime age of 26.
He is so out of the picture that it is fourth choice Alex Cairns - whose deal also runs dry in June - who helps to warm up the goalkeepers on matchday. Darlow’s contract also runs out this summer.
Perri is tied down to a deal until 2029 and Leeds will not want to make a stark loss on him in less than a year, which they would do if sold this summer based on his showings so far this season.
Out of the two, many would prefer to keep Darlow as the back-up, yet the board will see Perri as the longer-term project aged 28.
Farke and the Leeds board have been on the same page in almost all areas, but the goalkeeper - like last season - seems to be the club’s Achilles heel.
What cannot be denied is that both Farke and the board were both at the very least content to get Perri - or else he would not have joined. So the responsibility has to be shared.
All the while, Farke’s indirect goalkeeper comments have sent a rare sounding shot directly at the board. He clearly feels it is an issue that cannot be ignored any longer.
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The second-choice goalkeeper at the start of the season now has to be the first. Again. Perhaps that tells fans all they need to know.