Daniel Farke's transfer message for Leeds United decision-makers with 'have to improve' demand — YEP 27/8/26

By Kyle Newbould

Leeds United have less than one week to conclude their transfer business.

Daniel Farke insists there are still areas of the Leeds United squad that need improving ahead of a long Premier League campaign.

Leeds have six days to conclude any summer business before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm on Tuesday September 1. The Whites have welcomed four new faces through the door, with £8.5million centre-back Nico Elvedi the latest to impress in the recent 2-0 Carabao Cup win at Nottingham Forest.

But a top-quality left-winger is still wanted, as evidenced by interest in Igor Paixao and Mykhailo Mudryk among others, while other positions including striker and left-back are lacking depth. Farke admits he’s never had a window in which every wish was granted but hinted at a positive final few days in the market.

Asked how confident he is of getting everyone he needs before Tuesday’s deadline, Farke said: “Not at all, because I mentioned before there was never a transfer window when I got all my wishes and all the players that I want. But carefully optimistic that we have also a good ending to the window.

“I'm pleased with our signings so far, pleased with my group so far. But we know that there are definitely also a few positions where we can improve and have to improve our squad for a long season, and this is also what our supporters, what the club, what Leeds United deserves - that we try our best until the last second to give ourselves the best possible squad.”

Leeds are a long way off last summer’s 10-man transfer influx but have committed to a couple of big fees. Centre-back Tarik Muharemovic cost £34.1m while James Trafford’s £40m move from Manchester City presents a club record fee. Even Elvedi, signed for an initial £6.8m, represents a more costly option than his predecessor Sebastiaan Bornauw.

Speaking after last season’s 14th-place finish, chairman Paraag Marathe suggested the new Squad Cost Rules (SCR) have tightened the Elland Road purse-strings slightly in the short term. Farke says that while sustainability is key, he and the club are ambitious to make some ‘proper signings’.

“It's always a bit tricky because we want to work sustainably,” the Leeds boss added. “We also work with limited resources and have to be a bit more creative sometimes, perhaps more than some other clubs anyhow.

“But nevertheless, we are ambitious and want to have also further on some proper signings. Fingers crossed that works.”