Brighton manager confirms he’s been enquiring about Leeds player ahead of the summer

Daniel Farke has declared he is “not the right choice” to remain as Leeds head coach if the club fails to match his ambition in the summer.

Farke calls for backing in transfer window

“I’m ambitious and this is quite important for me going forward,” Farke said before Sunday’s final home game of the season against Brighton.

“I love attractive football, perhaps for sides in the top half of the table, but I love to be a manager who plays for something rather than to avoid something.

“I’m not the right choice if it’s about maintaining the status quo. I have to be convinced of a project and I am at my best when I buy into a project. I can be picky and choose what I am convinced of.

“Leeds have had one good season in the Premier League in the last 25 years, the (first) season (back) with Marcelo (Bielsa), and we didn’t build on it.

“You have to develop and you have to evolve. This is what I stand for, so it’s important that we speak internally together and very trustfully together.”

The German said there was “no doubt in my head” that he wanted to stay on in the role as he thanked the owners, his players and the club’s fans following a successful season, in which he also led them to a first FA Cup semi-final since 1987.

“There is no doubt in my head, but it’s important that we don’t just write the story ongoing,” he added. “I’m full of belief and energy, but we have to speak realistically about what the goals are and what the next steps are and to have a vision.

“We had a three-year plan and we have to have similar again. If you just try to survive again then what happens is what happens last time (when Leeds were relegated in 2023).

“The boxes are ticked and you have to set yourself new goals and I know what is possible here at Leeds United and how much I believe in this club, but it is important we are all on the same page because I don’t run the club. I run the squad and it is important we talk.

“Can we keep our best players, can we get new players? One thing is for sure, I will just lead a project when I am in charge and we have to speak about it like we did three years ago, very honestly, because just to survive for one more year makes no sense.”

Leeds transfer news: Delap, Schuster, Buonanotte

Leeds have already made positive strides to try and match their manager’s ambition this summer.

Indeed, the Whites have reportedly opened talks to sign Chelsea striker Liam Delap, and it is clear they plan to bring in a new striker with RB Leipzig’s Loïs Openda also a target.

Leeds also tried to sign defender Jannik Schuster when it became clear another Red Bull club, Salzburg, were willing to sell, but Brentford swooped in first and secured a £17m deal.

They must also decide what to do with loanee Facundo Buonanotte, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler confirming this week he has been trying to get in touch to find out why the Argentine has played just three times for Leeds.

“I’m not there, I’m not in his head, I’m not knowing exactly the processes that are going on of course,” the Seagulls boss said when asked about the 21 year-old’s future.

“I’m trying to be in touch with our loan managers and trying to understand the situation from the individual players but it’s always quite difficult to judge things from outside and to judge things from this end.”

Buonanotte has totalled just 74 minutes in a Leeds shirt and it would be a surprise if Farke were keen to keep him beyond the summer.