Daniel Farke’s reputation among Leeds United fans is at its greatest level since he returned to Elland Road in 2023, following the completion of the team’s two-year banishment from the top flight.
They will win the Championship title and complete the season on 100 points for the first time in their history if they defeat League One-bound Plymouth Argyle tomorrow. United is tied for second place with Burnley on 97 points, but they have a significantly better goal differential than the Clarets, thus their destiny is in their own hands.
Farke’s future is still unclear, even if he delivered on the promise the Whites made when they recruited him. There are many rumours that the club’s owners, 49ers Enterprises, are thinking of changing the manager in an attempt to prevent being relegated right away after being promoted to the Premier League, as happened to the previous six teams.
In a survey on Farke’s status, Leeds Live asked fans if they thought United should continue to play the German into the upcoming campaign. Of the 4,900+ supporters who responded to our survey, 87% believed Farke should be given the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities at the highest level. Thirteen percent demanded that his services be discontinued by United’s leadership.
We then questioned whether firing Farke by United would be harsh. Although 14% of respondents said that “it’s just the nature of modern football,” 86% of respondents said that “it’s harsh.”
Farke still has two years left on his Whites contract, and if fired, he would allegedly be entitled to a year’s pay in compensation. Roger Schmidt, Davide Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst are some of the managers rumoured to be in the running to replace Farke as manager.
We wondered who United should name as Farke’s replacement in the event that they decide to remove him from his position. Out of the managers specified in our survey, 18% chose Mourinho. Former England manager Gareth Southgate received 11% of the vote, while Joachim Low came in third with 6%. The ‘other’ category was chosen by a staggering 57%.
In a related development:
Report: Leeds United midfielder could now seek surprise exit despite 45 appearances this season
After securing promotion to the Premier League, Leeds United will need to make some tough choices and may have to let go of some of its best players for the current campaign.
While Junior Firpo, Sam Byram, and Josuha Guilavogui have contracts that expire, Phil Hay has already hinted that Illan Meslier will depart the team. It is “very likely” that Guilavogui will depart Leeds in the upcoming weeks.
However, there will likely be more exits, particularly as Leeds is anticipated to spend more than £100 million on new players. This summer, the current crop will be pushed down the chain by new arrivals.
those who haven’t demonstrated themselves in this season’s Championship. playmaker Brendan Aaronson, Joel Piroe, who may have made mistakes despite his 19 goals, and Meslier, who has made mistakes.
Brenden Aaronson’s future has taken a twist ahead of World Cup
Without going too far, many people outside of Leeds believe Aaronson has had a successful season. Aaronson is arguably the poorest player in the starting lineup, though, according to Leeds supporters.
Naturally, Aaronson started 43 of the 45 Championship games in which he participated. Daniel Farke has acknowledged that there isn’t another 10, which is why he is predicted to make that 44 out of 46 on Saturday.
Farke and Leeds are expected to prioritise finding a new number ten, according to The Athletic, therefore Aaronson will likely lose his spot in the team as they enter the Premier League. On the other hand, he will be desperate for minutes.
Aaronson might decide to go in pursuit of playing time before the 2026 World Cup in the USA (Mexico and Canada) after being left out of Mauricio Pochettino’s final United States roster.
The issue Leeds will have when trying to sell Brenden Aaronson
In the summer of 2022, Aaronson rejoined Jesse Marsch at Leeds after leaving Salzburg for a hefty £25 million price. Prior to Marsch’s appointment, Marcelo Bielsa had really targeted him.
However, things haven’t gone as expected. Despite playing 40 games, he had a terrible debut season and was criticised for lacking physicality. He was then one of eight players to use Victor Orta’s loan clause to join Union Berlin.
He received a lot of criticism when he returned in the summer, but he has since gained some respect. Aaronson has only managed nine goals and two assists, though, so he has been inconsistent. Aaronson might now look for a way out.
The issue is that Aaronson has two years remaining on his five-year contract and cost £25 million. Leeds would probably struggle to receive anything close to their original fee if they sold now, which would be a huge Financial Fairplay setback.
