Leeds’ pre-season plans: A more settled squad, a trip abroad — and no Olympic call-ups — The Athletic 21/6/24

By Nancy Froston

There is an element of waiting for things to fall into place this summer for Leeds United.

Discussions are happening with returning loan players. This has seen Brenden Aaronson come back into the fold, while Jack Harrison is close to rejoining Everton. The rumour mill continues to swirl around Leeds’ saleable assets in Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray and others — but nothing has yet reached the stage of a serious offer.

But when players arrive at the start of July for pre-season testing, they will do so in a more settled environment than existed last summer — even with anticipated departures.

Some players heading out and some coming in is normal for the summer period. It presents a stable foundation for Daniel Farke to transmit his ideas and fine-tune a squad he will believe can win promotion from the Championship next season.

A year ago, after relegation from the Premier League, Leeds’ retained list was announced. Tyler Roberts, Joel Robles and Adam Forshaw left the club before Farke was appointed on July 4. In general terms, it was not a late appointment. Leeds’ process saw them interview Farke and former Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira. Both impressed, but the German edged it.

Among the key criteria was hiring a manager from a top-four league. Farke had just left German Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach a few weeks earlier, and had two recent Premier League promotions with Norwich City on his CV.

And Farke is very much a manager rather than a head coach, which feels symbolic at a club of Leeds’ size. He has a crucial say in transfers and made some big early calls last summer. These included holding onto Pascal Struijk and finding a way to get an unsettled Willy Gnonto back on board. He was involved in some discussions about outgoings when it became clear that he was the man Leeds wanted but there were hold-ups — 49ers Enterprises’ preferred timeline of announcing its takeover of the club, then unveiling the new man in the dugout, followed by sorting transfers, did not happen due to delays with the English Football League (EFL) ratifying the first of those three events.

So when players returned for their usual pre-season visit to Leeds Beckett University to undergo physical testing, Farke was set to be announced but wasn’t yet in the door. A number of the squad had one foot out of that door and were not at testing anyway. Rodrigo was sold to Saudi club Al Rayyan while Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Aaronson all departed on loan during Farke’s first week in the job. Further loan exits for Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca happened before the takeover was announced on July 17.

While the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers had a presence at the club before the full takeover, it was hardly a settled summer for Farke’s pre-season plans.

The preparation period was shortened by the knock-on effects of the Premier League’s winter break following the World Cup in Qatar the previous November and December. A mixed series of friendlies — a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in Norway, a loss to Monaco of France’s Ligue 1 by the same score up the road in York and wins over Nottingham Forest of the Premier League and Scottish Premiership side Hearts spilled over into a slow start in the league.

The first three games in the Championship passed without a win, against Cardiff City, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. At that time, the Gnonto saga was ongoing, Farke experimented with Jamie Shackleton and Joe Gelhardt in midfield roles. The season only really got going towards the close of the window on September 1, with a win at Ipswich Town. Leeds kicked on from there. Farke proved what he could achieve with a club in transition, which should be encouraging in the current circumstances.

Leeds are limiting disruption where they can this summer.

Though some players are away at national-team tournaments — Aaronson at the Copa America with the USA and Max Wober (Austria), Liam Cooper (Scotland) and Kristensen (Denmark) at the European Championship — only progress to the final of either would keep them on duty with their country as late as July 15. But it is likely that, as is their right for a non-FIFA competition, Leeds will restrict players from participating in the Olympics’ football tournament in France — this runs from July 24 to August 9. Aside from the fact that Leeds would be paying their wages while they are gone, the risk of injury so near to the season (EFL 2024-25 kicks off on the weekend of August 10-11) is always a concern.

Georginio Rutter is not part of France’s squad — their coach Thierry Henry has lamented the lack of availability of players for the tournament on home soil. Mateo Joseph (Spain) and Junior Firpo (as an overage pick for the Dominican Republic at a tournament that is otherwise for players under the age of 23) are the other two Leeds players likely to be affected, with both nations’ squads yet to be announced.

Leeds’ logic is that involvement in their pre-season takes priority, which feels particularly relevant for Joseph, who should have a bigger role for the club next season. The 20-year-old played twice for Spain Under-21s in March after officially switching his allegiance from England to the country of his birth.

After the usual testing at the start of July, Leeds have a plan in place. Domestic friendlies have been arranged against League Two neighbours Harrogate Town and Spanish visitors Valencia. It is expected that Farke will take the squad to a training camp abroad during pre-season — with further friendlies played during that trip.

There are benefits to having extended time on the training pitch together, with Farke favouring plenty of tactical preparation with his players before the season starts. The shift from a counter-pressing system to possession-based play and a 4-2-3-1 formation in such a short time last season speaks to his ability to transmit information clearly.

The fixtures for next season are set to be announced on Wednesday, June 26. While Leeds might not have everything tied up in a neat bow in terms of transfers by the time they play their opening game on that second weekend in August (the window doesn’t close until August 30), they are sure to be in a better place than at the same time last year.

It is too early to say whether this season is a ‘promotion or bust’ scenario for Farke at Leeds. But this is the period where he can shape that destiny and truly make this team his own.