Daniel Farke is expected to become Leeds United’s new manager and hopes to be installed in time for the Championship squad’s return to training on Monday.
Farke, who twice led Norwich into the Premier League, was on a shortlist for the Elland Road post along with Patrick Vieira and Scott Parker. Although Vieira interviewed strongly and appeared the favourite for a time, the former Crystal Palace manager now seems set to return to his native France and take charge at Strasbourg.
The Leeds hierarchy have seen their appointment timeline slowed by the English Football League’s need to ratify the club’s full takeover by the San Francisco based investment group, 49er enterprises.
Although it had been thought the new manager would not be introduced until that deal is rubber-stamped by the EFL, there is now a distinct possibility Farke’s appointment could be formalised earlier.
The 46-year-old German parted company with Borussia Mönchengladbach at the end of last season and is expected to be joined in West Yorkshire by his long-term assistants Eddie Riemer, Christopher John and Chris Domogalla. That quartet worked together at Carrow Road, subsequently joining forces at Russia’s Krasnodar before returning to Germany with Mönchengladbach.
During four years at Norwich, between 2017 and 2021, Farke collected two second tier titles either side of a relegation from the Premier League. His amalgam of promotion winning nous and commitment to attractive, attacking, possession rich, football appear to have secured him the Leeds job following a detailed interview process demanded by 49er enterprises.
After seeing Leeds relegated from the top tier in May, Elland Road directors are anxious to win promotion at the first attempt but, so far, they have confirmed only one friendly – against Manchester United in Oslo on 12 July – before their opening Championship game at home to Cardiff on 6 August.
By then it is hoped that Farke’s philosophy – something he says has been heavily influenced by the ideas of Pep Guardiola and Thomas Tuchel – will win over a Leeds squad and fanbase that is apparently still struggling to adapt to the sacking of the club’s autocratic, yet much adored, former manager Marcelo Bielsa in February 2022.
