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.

“I want to feel the atmosphere because I heard and I saw so many videos of the fans, the promotion [parade] last year over 150,000 people in the city. I think that is awesome. That is crazy when the team has a connection to the city. And I think then when you have fans like this, the fans get you some points as well in the league.”

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