What 6ft 4in £17m signing Stach will add to Leeds

Stach won the European Under-21 Championship with Germany in 2021

Leeds United have signed Germany midfielder Anton Stach from Hoffenheim in a deal worth £17m.

The 26-year-old, who has two international caps, has joined on a four-year contract.

Stach becomes the sixth summer signing for Leeds, who were promoted to the Premier League after winning the Championship last season.

He follows Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Lukas Nmecha and Sean Longstaff in joining manager Daniel Farke's squad for the 2025-26 campaign.

"I am excited to join such a good team, such a good Premier League team, and I am looking forward to the next season," said Stach.

"My style of play, I would say I am an aggressive player. I am good in duels. I am good at anticipating passes from the opponents and it would be good for the Premier League. Now we will see, I will try my best."

Stach has previously played with compatriot Nmecha as the pair helped Germany win the European Under-21 Championship in 2021.

He added: "The biggest target is to stay in the league and personally just develop, adapt to the league, to the speed of course and then get many good experiences hopefully."

Stach left Mainz to join Hoffenheim in 2023 and made 71 appearances for the club in two seasons. He helped them avoid relegation from the Bundesliga last season as Hoffenheim finished 15th.

"Anton is an outstanding footballer who has consistently delivered good performances here at Hoffenheim over the past two seasons," said Hoffenheim sporting director Andreas Schicker.

"He's also a great person, always putting himself at the service of the team and contributing to our survival last season."

Survival a tall order for Leeds?

Tom McCoy, BBC Sport

Four of Leeds' six signing are 6ft 1in or taller, with head coach Daniel Farke clearly keen to add height and physicality to the squad which won promotion from the Championship last season.

Stach certainly fits the bill, having been one of the Bundesliga's most effective ball-winners in recent years. In the past two seasons he has registered 120 interceptions, more than any other player in the German top flight, and won possession 393 times, which is the league's third highest tally. He also ranks fourth for tackles attempted and duels won.

His versatility should also be an asset for Leeds. Though used primarily as a holding midfielder by Hoffenheim, Stach began 2024-25 at centre-back, only switching to a more advanced role in November following the appointment of Christian Ilzer as head coach.

At 6ft 4in tall, Stach is an effective aerial presence in both boxes. With Leeds also recruiting Jaka Bijol and Sebastian Bornauw – both of whom are 6ft 3in – plus 6ft 1in Lukas Nmecha, the Yorkshire club will hope to gain a competitive edge next season when it comes to all-important set-pieces.