Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe breaks silence on Farke future after private conversation and title win — YEP 4/5/25

By Graham Smyth

Paraag Marathe has broken his silence on Daniel Farke’s future.

Leeds United owner Paraag Marathe has broken his silence on the Elland Road future of manager Daniel Farke.

Whites chairman and 49ers Enterprises supremo Marathe was said by reports in national newspapers to be considering Farke's position but speaking 24 hours after the Championship title was won he went on record to declare Farke his man for next season in the Premier League.

Farke led Leeds to 100 points and a goal difference that pipped Burnley to the title.

It was the German's second attempt at guiding Leeds to the top flight having lost at Wembley in the play-off final last season.

Supporters speculated as to whether Farke's subdued body language at full-time at Plymouth on Saturday was a hint as to his future, though the manager insisted he was simply 'empty' after a dramatic last day. And Marathe has now gone on record to confirm that Farke will remain.

"I do have something to say and, and you know, I am someone who will speak when I have something to say and when I feel like it's the right time for me," said the chairman.

"I'm not one to respond because some random gossip paper wants to say something. I'm not going to make comments based on rumours and gossip. But now, today is that day.

A trending article titled "Leeds United news: Scott Parker reacts to final day title drama as Burnley spurned" with 4 comments.

“I was waiting for the season to conclude. I wanted to win a trophy, just like Daniel did, just like the players did, just like all the staff did, and we got that goal.

“My plan was always to come and speak to you all right after the season concluded, and so that time is now, and I want to tell you all that I'm very excited to run it back with Daniel.

“I'm really excited about collaborating with Daniel, with Robbie Evans, who we promoted to managing director, with Adam Underwood, who we promoted to sporting director, and together, we are going to build the best squad that we can with every penny that we're allowed to spend to go and compete in the Premier League."

Marathe touched on the recent difficulty that newly-promoted teams have had in surviving the top flight but he holds Farke up as one of Leeds' strengths as they attempt to break the yo-yo relegation pattern.

"I'm under no illusions that it's going to be easy," he said.

"I know all the stats, last season's three promoted clubs went right back down. Two years ago, three promoted clubs went right back down. But we have something that they don't.

“We have Daniel Farke, first of all, and a tremendous coaching staff. We have players that believe that the sum of the parts are greater than the individual pieces.

“We have a community that supports our club. We have a 28,000-person paid season ticket waiting list - 28,000 is more than many Premier League clubs' actual season ticket list.

“We have great partners in Red Bull, and now, obviously our front of shirt goes up significantly. So there's an opportunity for us to take all of that extra revenue, and literally all of that extra revenue, and pour it right back onto the pitch."

Marathe and Farke have spoken privately so the chairman could inform his manager of their plans to continue working together. He paid tribute to the way in which Farke has handled the pressure that Leeds came under towards the end of the season when doubt crept into the narrative but not into the manager's mind.

"He is such a calming force. You know, presence would be an understatement if I say calming presence, he's just a calming force for supporters, for players, for the club," said Marathe.

"He really has a superpower that way. He told you all he was 100 per cent confident that we're going to the Prem, and he believed it. I love him for it. He has that conviction and belief.

“We continue to stay in touch all the time. I did tell him privately that I'm looking forward to moving forward together, and I just didn't feel like it was my time to speak just because someone wanted to put out a rumor or whatever. It wasn't my place in time to speak at that point. But I did talk to him privately."

Marathe also expressed his sympathy for Farke and his staff at having to listen to the speculation after reports were published in the Daily Mail, Telegraph and Guardian suggesting 49ers Enterprises were considering replacing him and had drawn up a list of potential successors.

Farke was asked repeatedly about his future in press conferences just days after winning promotion and in the lead up to clinching the title.

"I do want to say I feel bad about the last couple weeks of all that speculation," he said. "I felt bad that Daniel and the coaches probably felt they were twisting in the wind a little bit.

“I tried to do what I could privately. It just felt like to me, I'm going to speak when I have something to say and when the time is right. It's unfortunate that somebody else tried to speculate something a week or two ago, because today was always the moment I was going to speak with you."