'Job done' — Daniel Farke makes Leeds United position clear ahead of 49ers Enterprises talks — YEP 15/5/26

By Graham Smyth

Daniel Farke spoke in great detail about Leeds United’s future at Friday’s pre-Brighton press conference.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says the job he set out to do in 2023 is done so he and the club need to agree new goals this summer.

Safety was secured on Sunday thanks to West Ham's loss to Arsenal and Leeds celebrated with a come-from-behind draw at relegation-threatened Spurs on Monday night.

Ahead of the penultimate Premier League fixture of the season at home to Brighton Farke was asked about next season and a number of player contract situations.

His response was that the first priority had to be talks with the board to decide on their next steps. Farke feels he and the club have come to the end of their first mission and need to agree on the way forward, once the final two games are complete and he has returned home to Germany for a short break.

"When I signed the contract here three years ago we spoke about the goals, what we want to achieve and I have to say my mission is fulfilled, and my job is done here, and there's nothing to add anymore," he said. "So all the boxes that we wanted to tick are ticked."

Those boxes included promotion to the top flight and staying up at the first attempt, bucking the recent trend of newly-promoted sides suffering an immediate return to the Championship. In Farke's eyes the only option now is to build on what they have achieved, in order to avoid the fate that befell Leeds when they failed to significantly back Marcelo Bielsa in the summer of 2021.

"It's important for the club that we sit together and sit in a trustful atmosphere to speak about new goals," he said. "This period is done.

“We have to speak about new goals, the way we want to achieve it, the processes and then before I speak about the future, the club has to decide where we want to be, what are the new goals. This is what we'll do right now internally. Then we'll see what the outcome is.

"In terms of going forward, I'm ambitious, I want to something to play for, and I'm not the right choice if it's about like maintaining somehow a status quo. If you want someone who just does something more of the same, then it's definitely not me.

“Everyone knows about how amazing this fan base is, how huge this club is, how much potential there is. That's a part of the truth, but the second part of the truth is also that we as a club had exactly one good season in the last 25 years in the Premier League, the first season after Marcelo's promotion, and we missed [the chance] to build on it.

“Right now we have played just a second good season on this level, and for me it's important that we don't repeat the same mistake, we have to develop, and we have to evolve. If you want to be good enough on this level, you have to evolve."

Farke, who has a year left on his contract, clarified that he knows the ownership are ambitions and he has 'not one per cent doubt' in his head going into the summer talks. But they must align on strategy, including what they plan to do in the summer window in terms of keeping and adding to the squad.

"I'm full of belief and energy but we have to speak about the next steps, the next goals," he said. "The second season is difficult. It's important to have a clear vision. We have to do the same again and work towards it step by step. If you just try to survive then what happens last time happens.

"It's important that we're on the same page, because I don't decide for the club, I don't own the club and don't run the whole club, I run the sport. We have to speak about what we will do, what are the new goals, can we keep our best players, can we improve the squad, can we bring players in who make us better, we have to speak about this."

And he was clear on how important it is for his continued presence at Elland Road that he maintains the same influence over sporting decisions.

"So far this club wanted me to run the sport and wanted me to be there with the final decision, the final say in each everything," he said.

"Perhaps they have other thoughts in the process and going forward, perhaps not. We have to speak about it, but one thing is also for sure, I will also just lead the project when I'm in charge, and I overtake the decisions like I've done in the recent years."