Farke sack? 49ers make final decision on changing manager as Leeds boss offers classy response

Leeds United owners 49ers Enterprises have absolutely no plans to replace Daniel Farke this summer despite a portion of fans being open to his sack and with the German boss offering both a classy response to speculation over his future and over his plans to strenghten his Whites squad ahead of their return to the Premier League.

The Whites secured their place back among the elite on Easter Monday after a two-year absence; their return to the big time very much deserved and epitomised by a crushing 6-0 demolition of Stoke at Elland Road. However, just a matter of days after Leeds United confirmed promotion, Farke has found speculation mounting over his future and amid claims the club were considering sacking him and replacing him with a manager better equipped to help them deal with the challenge of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

To that end, both the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph went big on claims that Farke could be instantly removed from his position, with both Jose Mourinho and Ange Postecoglou among the high-profile – albeit fanciful – names linked with the post.

However, The Athletic claim owners 49ers Enterprises have absolutely no plans to replace Farke as manager and are understood to be frustrated by the timing of the news – coming as it did less than 48 hours after Leeds’ promotion was confirmed.

Farke himself has also offered a classy response to rumours over his future.

Asked if he felt ‘disrespected’ by the rumours, he told a press conference: “Not at all, it’s not surprising.

“I knew for which club I signed, I’m not sure how many managers Leeds had in the last 20 years, but it’s a good effort if you last for three months.

“Once you sign a contract, there’s lots of pressure, noise, expectations.

“On a weekly basis, someone is linked. It’s nothing new.

“Newspapers need shock tactics sometimes to sell their stories, but this is nothing new.”

DON’T MISS ⚪🟡🔵 The dream Leeds Utd XI to ensure Prem survival, boosted by double Liverpool signing

Farke talks transfers and need to ‘prove himself’ with Leeds

Despite that, a portion of supporters do have doubts over Farke’s qualities of leading Leeds in the Premier League, with close to 24% of fans surveyed deciding he should be axed.

I would 100% back Farke with Leeds in the Premier League. He led us there and deserves that chance.

But not everyone on my timeline agrees… Let’s put it to the vote.

What should Leeds do with Daniel Farke this summer? #LUFC — James Marshment (@marshyleeds) April 24, 2025

Perhaps more tellingly, over 76% want him to stay and Farke himself feels he does not need to prove himself in the Premier League after a dismal record there with Norwich previously.

Indeed, in his first season there, the Canaries finished bottom with just 21 points – and 14 adrift of safety – while he was sacked early November of his second stint in the top flight, with his side on five points after 11 matches.

However, in response to that, Farke stated: “I’m not thinking too much about myself. I don’t think there’s any point I have to prove. I was in my younger years as a manager, also highly motivated to prove myself and take the next steps but of course it always depends which team you have. The quality of a manager is never defined by a league, it’s either you are a really good manager or you’re not…”

He continued: “I know what you need to survive in the top flight, what I didn’t have at Norwich. Two years ago, I worked in the Bundesliga, finished mid-table, decent budget. It always depends on what you have. It will always be a challenge on Premier League level.

“Ipswich, Southampton and Leicester, you can read the numbers how much they’ve spent, but it was not possible to stay in the league. I think of my time at Norwich, I think we spent £8m. We had more points than the teams promoted last season.

“I know how challenging and difficult it is. With proper resources and backing, it’s more likely you do this than without the right tools. We have to work on giving ourselves a chance to do something sensible with the budget and have a competitive squad. This is what we want to do. I don’t have the feeling I have to prove anything.”

Asked how the players responded to speculation over his future, he revealed: “The players have worked with me two years together, some of them one year, and the players who think I have got no clue and am a poor manager, they say the speculation is right and he’s not good.

“The players I work with daily, I don’t think it’ll affect them. I don’t think any judgement of the players or staff I work with is influenced by speculation of some journalist a few hundred miles away or pundits who’ve never worked as a manager, but you’d have to ask the players. We have a pretty strong relationship.”

READ MORE ⚪🟡🔵 ‘Preparing’ – Marathe drops Leeds huge transfer promise as Prem pledge is made

Farke knows, though, that he will need to spend money on several key additions to give Leeds a fighting chance of Premier League survival.

“Everything has to be spot on with the decision-making in order to stay up in the first season. Not only in the first season, but to make sure you stay for good and make an established Premier League side,” Farke explains.

“You have to be ambitious. You have to have a proper budget. We are working pretty, pretty hard to have a proper budget and you have to make sure you improve in each department.”

Leeds plan to increase capacity to 53,000 in the next few years, but Farke’s focus remains on his playing squad.

“The most important thing is also to invest in the playing squad,” he added.

“Of course, there will also be hopefully many new incomings with quality. [You must] find the right players to improve you. It’s not just one simple target where you just sign one or two players and that’s it.

“It will be a complicated and hardworking period, to give this club the best opportunity to achieve what we want to achieve. Many discussions are needed and we’re trying to work pretty hard on it.

“Right now, it’s important we have a clear budget and it’s clear what we can spend.”

Leeds latest: Tottenham raid first up; Meslier heading back to the Champ?

Meanwhile, Leeds’ first signing of the summer looks likely to be a familiar name in the form of Manor Solomon. The Israel winger has, at times this season, looked a class above at Championship level during his loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Now with the Whites’ promotion confirmed, Leeds hope to secure his permanent arrival from Spurs and we can reveal talks have already been held with Daniel Levy over the costs involved in such a move.

Solomon has made a home for himself not just in the Roundhay area of the city but also at the football club and it would come as no surprise were his signing to be the first one confirmed by the Whites this summer.

Solomon has also already indicated his willingness to remain at Elland Road.

Elsewhere, with a new goalkeeper high on Leeds’ wanted list and with Illan Meslier facing an uncertain future, TEAMtalk can reveal that offers are now expected from within England – and a surprise move to a Championship new-boy could now be on the cards.

IN FOCUS: How Farke’s record in the Prem compares to the Champ

Click here to read article