Paraag Marathe promises Leeds United won't 'fly by the seat of our pants' on Premier League return — Yorkshire Post 6/5/25

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By Stuart Rayner

Leeds United are gearing up for their "most important (transfer) window in decades" but chairman Paraag Marathe is determined not to lose sight of the bigger picture.

The challenge for Leeds and those promoted to the Premier League with them – a group Sheffield United hope to be part of by winning the play-offs – is to break the cycle of the last two seasons.

Last year all three clubs promoted in 2023 were relegated 12 months on and although this top-flight season has three rounds to go, it has already been confirmed Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton will do the same.

But the clubs promoted in 2022 – Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest – are in the top 11 with a good chance of joining the biggest cohort of English clubs to qualify for Europe, with Forest still striving for the Champions League.

Manager Daniel Farke – who Marathe confirmed on Sunday will keep his job despite speculation to the contrary – has talked about wanting to establish Leeds in the division after just three of the last 21 seasons there.

Striking the balance between doing everything possible to stay up next year and thinking long-term will be difficult.

"We are entirely focussed on this upcoming season and upcoming window – the most important window in decades, probably – but we're also trying to build this to last, to be sustainable,” said Marathe.

"You've got to nail your transfers. You've got to nail players who really fit the style of play that fits the club and play together cohesively.

"(There are) also some lessons learned from the three years when I was the vice-chairman (with Leeds in the Premier League). We had great success in our first season in the Prem but we weren't really thinking about building a plan.

"We were just pay as you go, flying by the seat of our pants. Probably clubs like Bournemouth, Forest or (Aston) Villa (promoted in 2019) are building a multi-year plan.

"The first year is survival – not competing, survival – I get that. Anything more than that would be gravy. It's building a plan."

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