Mighty Leeds Weblog

Winger departs club. Leeds United can confirm Jack Harrison has moved to MLS side New England Revolution on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee. The 29-year-old winger initially joined on a season-long loan from Manchester City for the 2018/19 EFL Championship season where he went on to score four and assist three times. The following campaign, Harrison rejoined on loan and went on to play a key part in helping Marcelo Bielsa’s side to promotion, lifting the Championship trophy after converting six and setting up his teammates for eight goals. After the historic return to the topflight which Jack had played such a key role in, the Englishman returned on a temporary basis once more to LS11 for the 2020/21 campaign. A highly productive season saw him score and assist eight times apiece as the Whites secured an impressive ninth-placed finish in the Premier League, after a 16-year absence. In the 2021 summer transfer window, Harrison was officially announced as a Leeds ...

Never leave Written by: Chris McMenamy “If you don’t want to be here, fuck off,” Liam Cooper told the Elland Road dressing room in the wake of Leeds United’s relegation from the Premier League. The club captain wouldn’t have expected so many of his teammates to take him at his word, but United soon found themselves with a squad thinning faster than Frank Lampard’s hair. The summer of 2023 began with Andrea Radrizzani selling the club to his minority shareholding partner — 49ers Enterprises — but not after trying to use Elland Road as collateral in his short-lived purchase of Sampdoria. First-team players left in their droves, Daniel Farke was hired as manager and most Leeds fans didn’t really know what was next. In the midst of it all, Ethan Ampadu became the first signing of the Farke-49ers era — though at that point nobody knew if it would be an era or a summer fling. With the benefit of hindsight, not only was this an instrumental transfer in the future of Leeds United, bu...

Manchester City's James Trafford has emerged as a priority target for Leeds United as Daniel Farke tries to sign a new goalkeeper this summer Kieran King Football Writer Leeds United are in talks with Manchester City over a move for James Trafford. The Whites are in the market for a new goalkeeper after losing Karl Darlow, who ended last season as No.1 to Manchester United on a free transfer, and Illan Meslier after he joined Arsenal. Trafford, 23, has since emerged as Leeds' top target for that position, and the club is now in talks to sign him, according to The Athletic. It's added that, despite strong interest from Newcastle United, the City shot-stopper is leaning towards a move to Elland Road. Newcastle wanted to sign Trafford last summer before he decided to re-join City from Burnley. He returned to the Etihad Stadium under the impression he would be first choice following Ederson's move to Fenerbahce. However, the addition of Gianluigi Donnarumma late...

Defender departs the club. Leeds United can confirm defender Max Wöber has left the club after the two parties agreed to mutually terminate his contract. The Austrian joined the Whites in 2023 from RB Salzburg and featured 19 times in his debut season across all competitions. Wöber made eight league appearances for the club in the Sky Bet Championship title winning campaign of 2024/25, scoring one goal, before joining Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on loan last term. Max now departs Elland Road on a permanent basis and we wish him well for the future.

By Graham Smyth Leeds United have secured a highly-rated youngster to a new three-year deal ahead of his involvement with the senior squad on their US pre-season trip. Jayden Lienou has had a taste of men’s football with both club and country in the last few months. The 18-year-old joined Leeds from Manchester City last summer and was heavily involved with the Under-21s last season. But towards the end of the campaign Daniel Farke put the promising teenager on the bench for the games against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton, after injury ruled out first-choice left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson. Lienou was then called up by Craig Bellamy for the Wales post-season camp and friendlies against Ghana and Romania. The left-sided defender earned rave reviews from Bellamy and was on the bench as an unused substitute for the Ghana game. Leeds have announced that Lienou, who has been pictured in first team training from the outset of pre-season this summer and is expected to be on the flight t...

By Graham Smyth Leeds United's 65-strong travelling party will fly to America this week to begin a pre-season tour with '10-fold' the logistical requirements of the last two summer training camps. The initial conversations about the summer 2026 pre-season tour took place back at the start of December. The club's focus was then dominated by the hectic Christmas fixture list and preparing for the January transfer window, but at the same time they were working through hypotheticals on the destination for pre-season. Europe, America and Asia were all in the conversation. In January the offers started coming through to the commercial team at Elland Road. First team operations manager Matt Robertshaw told the YEP that while the commercial considerations are in the mix, football comes first. He said: "You've got a picture of what the football side preference would be and then you've also got a picture of any potential commercial offers that look good options...

Please be great Written by: Chris McMenamy Fabio Grosso spent the first two months of his reign as Sassuolo manager in summer 2024 tinkering with a young, inexperienced squad that had undergone a serious overhaul after relegation from Serie A. Unlike some, Grosso’s bosses weren’t stupid enough to allow their stars to leave on loan, but most of the team thought they were too good for Serie B, having been demoted mostly because star player Domenico Berardi tore his Achilles tendon with ten games remaining. As a result, they were left with a heap of returning loanees, some youth players and, in Berardi, a talisman with one working foot — so it’s no wonder they won only one of their first four games. Grosso struggled to settle on a defensive pairing, as evidenced by a 4-1 thumping at home to Cremonese before the first international break. New signing Tarik Muharemovic, on loan from Juventus, sat on the bench throughout that game, watching on as the more experienced members of the t...

Daniel Farke is now into the final 12 months of his contract at Leeds United Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter The noises appear good. Paraag Marathe envisions Daniel Farke staying at Leeds United beyond this season in an ideal world, Ethan Ampadu has committed his long-term future and two new signings have been acquired. None of the above would suggest Leeds are necessarily dragging their feet over a renewal deal for Farke. Indeed club chairman Marathe said last month that “at the right time and in the right way, we'll have those conversations,” adding: “He's a big part of our future." Farke embarked on his holidays shortly after the conclusion of the season amid plans to switch off for a couple of weeks, not even paying too close attention to the World Cup. Now recharged, he will be looking to the season ahead with the first week of pre-season already completed. Yet, as things stand, he still only has 12 months left on his contract. The club were quick to wra...

There is a chance Noah Okafor misses the whole of Leeds United's pre-season tour of America Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter The chasm between Noah Okafor’s World Cup dreams and what actually played out this summer will be gaping. Switzerland played seven games and reached their first quarter-final for 72 years but Okafor featured just once; a 26-minute substitute’s appearance against Algeria in the round of 32 with the tie essentially already won when coming on at 2-0 up. Okafor went to speak with head coach Murat Yakin to enquire about why he failed to get onto the pitch in a 4-1 group stage win over Bosnia & Herzegovina - a game in which, as it happens, new Leeds United signing Tarik Muharemovic was sent off. The conversation ultimately had little to no sway given Okafor’s subsequent dearth of pitch time. Yakin’s inclusion of Okafor in March’s internationals ended a 15-month exile from the national team, with the rift between both figures ended following talks b...

Paraag Marathe was in the running to become the head figure of America's top football league Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe has ruled himself out of the running of becoming the commissioner of Major League Soccer (MLS), the USA’s top football tier. The 49ers Enterprises chief was one of three contenders to take over from long-time MLS supremo Don Garber, who has been in the role since 1999, in mid-2027. However, Leeds Live understands that Marathe has withdrawn his name from the process. The MLS commissioner essentially acts as a CEO of the league, hired by the Board of Governors. The competition is known as a single entity, whereby all teams are owned by the league and then sold to investors. Technically, all manager and player contracts are signed with the MLS. Commissioner responsibilities include overseeing the MLS’s expansion, securing media and corporate deals and setting regulations, as well as managing relationships with F...

The Leeds United shot-stopper has only been at Elland Road for a year but his stock has fallen Leeds United are clear that they will not consider allowing Lucas Perri to leave before a new goalkeeper is acquired first. The exit of Karl Darlow, who has joined Manchester United, means United are short on options in goal. Reserve choice Alex Cairns, who recently signed a renewal but has yet to play two years into his Leeds return, stands as the only senior back-up to Perri at present. As a result, Leeds are naturally staunch on not permitting Perri - who was dropped as No.1 in January, six months after his £13.9million arrival from Lyon - to depart in any capacity for now. Torino are interested in Perri and are monitoring the situation at Elland Road, Leeds Live understands. They are meanwhile also keeping tabs on Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale as well as Fenerbahce and Croatia shot-stopper Dominik Livakovic. Perri is thought to be among their top targets. Sources close...

Bosnian defender joins the Whites. Leeds United are delighted to confirm the signing of Tarik Muharemović, who joins the club from Italian Serie A side Sassuolo on a five-year-deal for an undisclosed fee. The towering defender becomes our second permanent addition of the summer transfer window after the signing of Harry Wilson, bringing a wealth of experience at a young age. Muharemović was a stand-out performer for Sassuolo throughout the 2025/26 campaign as his side finished in a highly respectable 11th place. Following that fine form, the 23-year-old went on to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIFA World Cup this summer. A commanding centre-back who stands at 6ft 4’ in height, Tarik began his career in Austria and made his professional debut for Wolfsberger AC in the country’s top-flight. Just six matches with the club were enough to alert clubs from across Europe and Italian giants Juventus swooped quickly to secure his services, where Tarik was able to develop fur...

By Graham Smyth Leeds United have confirmed their second signing of the summer transfer window with the capture of a ‘stand-out performer’ from Serie A. Tarik Muharemović flew into Leeds on Thursday, as the YEP reported, in order to complete his medical and sign the paperwork on a deal worth £34m all in. The centre-back has been identified as the man to take Pascal Struijk’s place in Daniel Farke’s back line after the Dutchman moved to Brighton earlier this summer. Muharemović has impressed during his debut season in Serie A with Sassuolo and made headlines by being trodden on by Folarin Balogun during Bosnia’s World Cup clash with the US Men’s National Team this summer. Balogun’s red card was appealed by the US Soccer Federation and US president Donald Trump put in a call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Leeds have handed Muharemović a five-year deal as they continue to seek improvement for Farke’s starting XI in the summer window. The Whites are also in the race for Manchest...

By Kyle Newbould Leeds United will hope to avoid the same mistakes they made following their last encouraging Premier League season. Leeds United defender James Justin admits building on an impressive first season is the ‘most difficult’ aspect of becoming established in the Premier League. Justin was part of a Leeds side who over-achieved on their goal of survival in 2025/26, eventually finishing 14th. Daniel Farke’s men were mathematically safe with three games to spare and allowed to enjoy the campaign’s final weeks in a way that’s been rare in West Yorkshire. But those around Elland Road know all-too-well how a promising first season back can unravel, with their ninth-place finish under Marcelo Bielsa preceding 17th and then relegation in the two years after. Leeds at least feel better-prepared to keep climbing this time round, their summer window getting off to a strong start. Justin has already welcomed new teammate Harry Wilson into the squad and will soon meet up with...

With Leeds United moving to sign Tarik Muharemovic for £34m from Sassuolo, Adam Bate speaks to the 23-year-old defender’s former coach Slobodan Starcevic to find out why he can become one of the best left-footed centre-backs around – and what he must improve Adam Bate You might recall him being fouled by Folarin Balogun, sparking a World Cup drama. Now, Tarik Muharemovic is to become the most expensive defender in Leeds United’s history. One day, some believe he will be remembered among the best of his generation. It is five years since Slobodan Starcevic was asked whether this could be Juventus' successor to Giorgio Chiellini. "My answer was that he should not be viewed as 'the new Chiellini' because he is a completely different type of centre-back," Starcevic tells Sky Sports. "Tarik builds his game through composure in possession, an excellent first pass, the ability to carry the ball under pressure, and tactical intelligence, whereas Chiellini was...

By Tom Coates Isaac Schmidt has paid tribute to Leeds United following the end of his two-year spell at Elland Road. The 26-year-old, a versatile full-back, arrived at Elland Road from St. Gallen in his native Switzerland late in the summer 2024 transfer window. He was a bit-part player in Leeds’ Championship title-winning 2024/25 campaign, making 12 league appearances. A loan move to Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen was sanctioned last year and Schmidt made 19 appearances in Germany’s top flight. He was due back in England for pre-season following the expiry of his loan deal but instead returned to Switzerland, sealing a permanent switch to BSC Young Boys yesterday (July 16). Leeds have pocketed an undisclosed fee for the defender, who made 14 appearances for the Whites across all competitions. Posting on Instagram, Schmidt said: “Dear Leeds United, teammates and staff, I will never forget those moments of pure emotions we had together, great team spirit on and off the pitc...

Increasingly the most important people in any football club are not the accountants, but the lawyers.  A career as a sports lawyer offers good prospects and is more interesting than many branches of the legal profession. Leeds United have opened legal proceedings and served a statement of claim against Leicester City after being denied automatic promotion in 2023-24, when the latter broke financial rules.    This follows Burnley’s recent successful action against Everton. A statement of claim sets out why the claimant is taking action against a respondent. In this case, Leeds have included specific losses, but also requested an assessment of damages as a result of Leicester’s PSR breach. As it stands, the hearing is not set to take place until next summer.    It is always possible that it will be settled out of court. Last month, it was revealed Everton had been ordered to pay Burnley £35m in compensation and interest. In 2021-22, the Lancashire club were ...