Anton Stach's first words after €20m Leeds United transfer as 'dirty Leeds' tagline relished — YEP 22/7/25
By Kyle Newbould
The towering midfielder became Leeds United’s sixth summer
signing on Tuesday.
Anton Stach hopes an aggressive style of play can prove a
good fit for the Premier League and the ‘dirty Leeds’ tag of his new club.
Stach’s €20million (£17.4m) move to Leeds United was
officially announced on Tuesday morning, with the 26-year-old putting pen to
paper on a four-year contract. He underwent medical tests at the Whites’
Germany-based training camp on Monday and has already trained with his new
teammates.
Standing at 6ft 4ins and considered one of the Bundesliga’s
best ball-winning midfielders last season, Stach adds to the already growing
physicality levels of Daniel Farke’s squad as the fourth of six new arrivals to
top 6ft. There is a belief Leeds will look to bully opponents next season and
as such, the ‘dirty Leeds’ tagline famous from Don Revie’s managerial stint has
resurfaced.
“First of all, I am feeling really good,” Stach told LUTV
following confirmation of his arrival. “I am excited to join such a good team,
such a good Premier League team, and I am looking forward to the next season.
“My style of play, I would say I am an aggressive player. I
am good in duels. I am good at anticipating passes from the opponents and
[playing] between the lines. Many people told me it would be good for the
Premier League. Now we will see, I will try my best!
“I heard some things also about the fans, or about the
tradition of Leeds, like ‘dirty Leeds’ I think. So I’m looking forward to it
and to seeing the fans.”
Anton Stach's Leeds United aims after transfer confirmed
Those fans were a major part of the sales pitch Leeds have
been showing prospective transfer targets this summer, with videos of last
season’s wild promotion celebrations painting a picture of how good life can be
at Elland Road when things are going well. Things are unlikely to go that well
next season but survival will be met with just as much appreciation.
That is the ultimate goal for Leeds, with chairman Paraag
Marathe admitting earlier this summer anything above 18th would be ‘gravy’. And
Stach echoed that sentiment when asked for his own 2025/26 ambitions, adding
that an opportunity to play inside Elland Road will also not be taken for
granted.
“The biggest target is to stay in the league and personally
just develop, adapt to the league, to the speed of course and then get many
good experiences hopefully,” the midfielder added. “I am really excited to play
at home with the fans because I think the fans are really good here and as well
away.