Robbie Evans on why Leeds United are taking time over Daniel Farke's new contract — Yorkshire Post 11/9/26
By Stuart Rayner
Managing director Robbie Evans says Leeds United are taking
time to get Daniel Farke's next contract right, but supporters should not be
alarmed they have not got there yet.
Farke is in the final year of his Elland Road contract, with
his stock as high as it has been in that time after returning them to the
Premier League in 2025, consolidating them there in the first season back, and
now building on a positive transfer window with an unbeaten start to the
2026-27 league campaign.
Whilst loth to go into details, Farke this week hinted there
could be progress in September/October's international window but Evans says
there is no rush on his part, and people should not read anything negative into
that.
"He's done great, we want him to be here long-term, and
we're working on it," he said of a manager starting his fourth season at
the club.
"Daniel's done a fantastic job here and we're thrilled
with the last few seasons, want to keep it going. He's part of the long-term
project.
"We're trying to find a solution within the long-term.
"Daniel's done a fantastic job here, and we're thrilled
with the last couple of seasons. We want to keep it going, keep building the
long-term project. And so we were trying to find a solution with him long-term.
“The ongoing operating relationship between Daniel and Adam
(Underwood, the sporting director) and myself has never been better. The level
of collaboration and coordination this summer was truly excellent. Getting our
top (transfer) targets in, talking every day.
"We're delivering at a really high level.
"Daniel and I, Daniel's team and I, have had really
good chats for the last three months and we're all on the same page as far as
what we want to accomplish, the long-term project. We simply haven't got the
deal done yet, but we're working towards a solution.
“Extensions might feel like they are relatively
straightforward, because you're both at the same company already, but I think
of them as being quite difficult, even more than first-time signings, because
unlike signing him back in (20)23 or doing a deadline-day deal, the time
pressure is far reduced. We have the time to get it right as far as what he
wants and what we want, and to deliver on that long-term project.
"Ethan (Ampadu)'s deal took over a year. We tried to
get it down last spring, last summer, then last autumn, then in January and it
wasn't done until June. (Joe) Rodon, (Jayden) Bogle, (Brenden) Aaronson, all
those guys took months to finish.
"I wouldn’t read into it taking us some time as a
problem. It just means we're trying to get it right, because we have time to
get it right.
"As long as we're still operating together as a group
I'm not worried, and we're doing great on that front.
"We have a great operating model, and we want to keep
that going. We all know how to best work together."
Leeds have no immediate fresh injury concerns on the back of
Wednesday's dramatic 6-3 League Cup defeat to Chelsea for Monday's league match
at home to Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, all bar one of Leeds and Hull City's Festive
Premier League fixtures have been moved for the benefit of television after the
league responded to criticism of the short notice of last year's game changes
by confirming these before November's TV matches have been selected.
Both clubs will play on Boxing Day, with Leeds kicking off
at Aston Villa at 12.30pm, and Hull's home game with Liverpool at 5.30pm.
The Yorkshire derby at the MKM Stadium has been brought
forward to 7.30pm on December 29.
Leeds' New Year's Day game at home to Everton and the
January 6 visit of Manchester City will kick-off at 8pm and 8.15pm
respectively.
Nottingham Forest v Hull will now kick off at 7.30pm on
January 5. All bar the Villa-Leeds game, which is on TNT Sports, will be shown
live on Sky Sports.
