Good Morning. It's Monday 24th August, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Daniel Farke Jails Perfect Start
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke declared there “couldn’t be a better way to start the season” after Anton Stach’s 88th-minute free-kick secured a 1-0 away victory over Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the Premier League campaign. Speaking after the tight, competitive contest at the City Ground at the weekend, Farke broke down his thoughts across several key areas. On the match performance and clean sheet, the German noted he had expected a highly difficult away fixture.
He described it as a very tight game of differing periods in which both sides defended open play well and required total focus on transitions and set-pieces. He praised his squad’s defensive resilience in securing a clean sheet and complimented their collective togetherness and concentration throughout. Turning to Stach’s dramatic winner, Farke underlined his unwavering faith in the midfielder. “I always back my players,” he said, adding that Stach “always has those moments” to change a game. The Leeds boss was equally positive about his new signings.
He commended debutants James Trafford, Tarik Muharemović and Harry Wilson, acknowledging the massive expectations that come with joining the club. “They all shined and justified why we agreed to sign them,” Farke said, while highlighting that the overall mood and atmosphere around the group remains highly positive. Looking ahead to the challenges of Premier League away form, Farke stressed that road matches are always gruelling and that the squad aims to become more effective and competitive on their travels this term. With a swift return to the City Ground for a League Cup tie on Tuesday, he joked: “At least we can travel in a good mood.”
In the home dressing room, new Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner reflected on his first competitive match in charge. The Austrian emphasised that “there is no button to press” and that it will take time for the squad to fully adapt to his tactical methods. He pointed to fitness and physical readiness as ongoing issues, noting that defender Murillo had only returned to training three weeks earlier after a four-month injury layoff, while striker Chris Wood had missed pre-season friendlies with minor problems.
Despite the defeat, Glasner insisted he saw “many positives and encouraging parts,” particularly in the team’s work ethic during the second half.Glasner’s appointment carries significant weight: he reportedly signed a €15.2 million deal that makes him the highest-paid manager in Nottingham Forest’s history and the second-highest in the Premier League behind Xabi Alonso. The loss also left him with an unwanted early record — the seventh permanent Forest manager in a row to lose his opening Premier League match in charge.For Leeds, the result provided the ideal platform on which to build, while for Forest the process of adaptation under their new coach has only just begun.
Leeds United close to securing Mykhailo Mudryk on loan from Chelsea
Leeds United are close to agreeing a loan deal with Chelsea for Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk, sources indicate, as the 25-year-old seeks regular first-team football following an extended absence from competitive action. Mudryk has spent roughly 20 months away from competitive football. He was initially handed a four-year doping suspension after a positive test for meldonium, but the Football Association later dropped all anti-doping charges after advances in scientific reporting standards demonstrated that no violation had occurred. He made his return during Chelsea’s pre-season tour, featuring briefly as a substitute against Juventus. The proposed move is a straightforward loan with no obligation or option to buy.
Leeds have offered to cover half of Mudryk’s £100,000-per-week wages, though Chelsea are seeking the full salary to be paid plus a loan fee in the region of £2–3 million. An alternative loan to Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg had been under consideration, but Mudryk is understood to prefer remaining in the Premier League. Primarily operating on the left wing, Mudryk likes to hold width before making sharp, diagonal runs inside onto his stronger right foot to shoot or deliver crosses. He is particularly effective in isolated one-on-one situations on the flanks, using a distinctive “fast-to-slow” change of tempo and quick stepovers to unbalance defenders.If completed, the deal would provide Mudryk with the consistent minutes he is seeking while adding a dynamic wide option to Leeds’ attacking ranks for the season ahead.
Mudryk loan talks intensify competition for places on Leeds left flank
Leeds United’s pursuit of Mykhailo Mudryk has brought fresh scrutiny to the club’s left-wing options and raised clear questions about the future of Noah Okafor. As previously reported, Leeds are close to agreeing a loan deal with Chelsea for the 25-year-old Ukrainian. The potential arrival comes after a summer in which the club have actively scouted a range of high-profile left-sided attackers, including Igor Paixão and Rafael Leão. A creative, dynamic left winger has been a clear priority for head coach Daniel Farke, by some accounts an even greater focus than the search for a new centre-forward. That priority puts the existing squad under the spotlight, particularly Okafor.
The Swiss international was introduced for the final 25 minutes of the Nottingham Forest game at the weekend. His frustration with limited opportunities has already been publicly aired. During the World Cup, Okafor stated: “As a footballer, you’re in the wrong profession if you want to sit on the bench.” Although the remarks referred to his situation with the Swiss national team at the World Cup, they underline an attitude that is unlikely to sit comfortably with a prolonged spell on the fringes at Elland Road. Chelsea, meanwhile, are not expected to sanction a loan for Mudryk without meaningful assurances over guaranteed playing time.
The Ukrainian’s talent ensures there would be no shortage of alternative suitors prepared to offer him a more central role. Should the deal be completed, therefore, Okafor faces the prospect of increased competition for minutes in a position Farke clearly views as crucial. The situation leaves Leeds with a delicate balancing act. Signing a player of Mudryk’s calibre would strengthen the attack and address a long-standing priority, yet it also risks unsettling a talented squad member who has already signalled his desire for regular football. How Farke manages the minutes between the two, and whether Okafor ultimately remains part of the plans, is set to become one of the more intriguing subplots of the season.
WhiteRose wrote on 24 Aug 2026 08:15 am
I don’t really see the play with mudryk, Chelsea should be paying us if anything - it will be us that get him fit, match ready and playing, if he does well sure it’s good for us this season but most of the upside as per is for Chelsea themselves.
Decent result Saturday, the only away win in the league this game week so far. We were not particularly dynamic but away from home it was enough.
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