Leeds United

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Three minutes after coming on as a substitute Mateo Joseph cut a run through the Scottish under-21 defence last Saturday, slotted a clinical winner into the goal and captured the imagination of the Spanish media.

On X, Spanish TV channel Teledeporte tweeted: "This kid has some stuff, external" while newspaper AS are reporting that senior side manager Luis de la Fuente, having a dearth of striker options, is "keeping a close eye" on the 20-year-old, even considering calling him up to the full squad.

"I am convinced that it will be my year," Joseph told Leeds United manager Daniel Farke during pre-season. "I think I have worked very hard for it."

Joseph has had to be patient, but that patience is paying off. He has started the season spectacularly, with a goal and two assists in four games, cementing himself as the Whites' starting number nine, in front of Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe.

Daniel Farke has described Joseph’s movement as "natural" and his finishing "instinctive". Should the young Spaniard be called up to the European champions squad it would mark a dramatic ascent for a player playing his first full season at senior level.

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The latest episode of the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast has landed.

Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix discuss how Leeds stars have got on during the international break, and their next Championship match against Burnley.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

The latest episode of the My Mate's A Footballer podcast has landed.

Leeds striker Patrick Bamford is joined by comedian Joe Wilkinson to discuss what it's like to be a young footballer.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

In the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix reflect on new signing Manor Solomon and how he performed against Hull City.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Someone who repairs, replaces and reshapes a team is how Daniel Farke's role at Leeds United could be described, rather than someone who keeps and examines the money in and out of Elland Road. A rebuilder rather than a recorder.

"I'm a sportsman, and I concentrate on sports and the quality of the players - I'm not an accountant," Farke said when commenting on the club's summer transfer signings.

The sum total of that brought him three defenders, two wingers, two midfielders and a goalkeeper - but not the coveted number 10. A reported £13m bid for Sheffield United's Gus Hamer was, according to Blades boss Chris Wilder, a low-ball attempt to prise away a player they paid about £15m for a year ago.

"I'm not there in order to make the the key decisions. I'm there to identify the targets that are possible with the money set we are allowed - I'm allowed - to spend and I try to make the best out of this to bring the best potential players together, with our persons in the background who work on transfers."

Some of those transfers Farke referred to as "interesting", and on first showing in the 2-0 victory over Hull City, Manor Solomon's fine display, coupled with the impressive cameo roles from Ao Tanaka and Largie Ramazani, made you wonder how much interest Leeds must have fought off from elsewhere to land their targets.

But in the glow of victory and after the sight of shiny new toys on the pitch, Farke reminded everybody his team should no longer be considered favourites for automatic promotion.

"It's never easy when you don't have a traditional number 10 but as a club we decided to go this way.. You have to spend an unbelievable amount of money, and during the summer the club has decided not to do this - and that's absolutely fine and we work with what we've got."

The rebuild is afoot, without the marquee signing, but the expectation to go up remains unaltered.

Farke knows the score... and it is not a perfect 10.

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Sol Bamba's mum wanted him to be a doctor – "because you have a good heart and you care about people". But when he was scouted while playing in a park with his mates, football became his life.

Bamba came to Leeds a decade ago – on loan from Palermo. United were a club in disarray, a young side and a divided dressing room.

"There were basically two groups – the Italian players and everybody else," he once said.

Behind the scenes the 'manager eating' owner Massimo Cellino induced fear in everyone – everyone except Sol.

"The club deserves better and I think the person in charge has to do better for our club and the supporters because they deserve better," he said. Standing up to Cellino at that time – on the fans behalf – brought him immediate respect.

Sol also stood up to the six players who refused to play for Leeds away at Charlton to try and get then manager Neil Redfearn sacked. "I remember having a proper go at them because whatever you do, you know, you respect the club," Bamba told BBC Radio Tees.

Bamba's fearlessness brought respect from Cellino and new manager Uwe Rosler who made the Ivory Coast international club captain. As captain he was passionately active with the Leeds United Foundation, visiting children's hospitals and schools, lighting up rooms with his smile.

"When I was in school I would have loved people to come in," Bamba told Glen Williams after he retired. "That's why I take it very seriously, because those kids look up to us and we are role models."

He might not have gone on to be a doctor like his mum suggested, but he never lost that "good heart" and Bamba will be remembered fondly by Leeds fans.

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The Don't Go to Bed Just Yet panel were full of praise for Manor Solomon who marked his Leeds debut with the assist for the opening goal in Saturday's 2-0 win over Hull.

Solomon, 25, joined Leeds on a season-long loan from Tottenham last week but had not played competitively since September 2023 because of a knee injury.

"The second half they really got things under control and the second goal killed things off," Said BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope.

"It became the ideal scenario to display a few new signings and the perfect performance and result to just calm everybody down.

"But, I still stand by that the window was a little bit underwhelming because we just don't know the quality of the players and what they are going to do.

"However, on first sight, hopefully the recruitment team have gone out and got players who adapt very quickly to this level.

"To get that synergy so quickly with Solomon is brilliant. He was the standout for me. Neal Redfearn gave him man of the match, he was so good. He felt like exactly the player we saw help Fulham take Leeds apart. From minute one he was superb.

"I thought he was going to burn out after an hour but he dropped the shoulder twice and got the perfect cross in and I thought 'this is a guy who is different level'. I thought he was brilliant on the day, fantastic."

"I felt like Solomon was interesting," Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix added.

"[Daniel] Farke must have had so much confidence in him to stick him in from the start just like that. He's not played any football recently and before that was injured for a long time.

"He's skilful and quick and made a great assist. With the assist as well, it came just when you thought he was drifting out of things and you're thinking 'maybe his fitness is not quite there and he needs to come off'.

"It was one of those times where Solomon just decided 'I'm bored of messing about with this guy, I'm just going to do an excellent cross and we can score'. It felt like he could just do that at anytime and he'd just been messing about up until then."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

A positive result and performance in the 2-0 win over Hull City closed out a divisive transfer window for Leeds United supporters.

New boy Manor Solomon impressed, as did Ao Tanaka and Largie Ramazani in their cameo roles, but do Leeds still need a number 10?

Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs' bassist Simon Rix tackle all this and more in the latest episode of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Leeds United have completed the signing of Isaac Schmidt from Swiss Super League side St. Gallen.

The 24-year-old has signed a four-year contract and, while signed as a full-back, can also operate in other positions.

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds United are the verge of signing Swiss full-back Isaac Schmidt, 24, from St Gallen. (Sky Sport Germany), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says the summer transfer window wasn't as difficult as his first at the club in 2023.

Farke lost key men including Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter to Premier League clubs this summer.

"I would say it's not been as difficult as last season, but a bit more difficult than expected," Farke said in a news conference.

"It was perhaps easier because we didn't have that many loan and exit clauses like last season, but if you lose key players it is still a process of rebuilding.

"We need the next 48 hours to strengthen the squad a bit."

When asked about any more possible incomings before the window closes on Friday, Farke said: "I only speak about players who are under contract [at Leeds], but we've made clear on what positions we need to strengthen. There's not much time left but I hope and expect that there will be some business in the next couple of days. I spoke extensively that we need a midfielder and a full-back addition."

And on potential departures he added: "In this business you never know, but I made the point clear that we are not tempted to give any of our quality players away. We are a small group and we are looking forward to strengthening the squad than weakening it. As it stands, I don't expect somone else to go."

On the latest episode of My Mate's A Footballer, Joe wants to discuss all the equipment that footballers use in their job and develops an obsession with boots to find out what a ‘boot deal’ actually means.

There’s a surprising fact about footballs and Patrick Bamford explains what it’s like at a club when a new kit is launched. He also reveals who has the best pitch in England.

"The best pitch is Arsenal's. It doesn't matter what time of year, it's always pristine," says Bamford.

"Nowadays pitches are getting a lot harder and firmer. The underneath of it is getting a lot firmer. It can be hard underfoot in the summer months and pre-season."

Listen now on BBC Sounds

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BBC Radio Leeds' Jonny Buchan has been discussing Whites' goalkeeper Illan Meslier on Don't Go To Bed Just Yet: "Leeds have kept more clean sheets in 2024 than any other side in the top four tiers of English football, that is 16.

"Illan Meslier has the best clean sheet percentage of any goalkeeper in Championship history at 48%.

"You can put that down to the team in front of him as well, but whatever way you look at it, that is still a great stat around Meslier."

Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix said: "We always criticise goalkeepers. We've never had a goalkeeper we have been happy with for years and years and years because they always let goals in at some point and you can be critical of them for the ones they let in, but I am very happy with him.

"As a Championship goalkeeper I think he is more than adequate. We tried to buy a replacement in [Karl] Darlow and from what we have seen of him he is much, much worse than Meslier in my opinion.

"If Meslier moved to another club we would be looking at him and thinking we should have kept him."

Leeds reporter Adam Pope added: "Meslier does a few things where you think, 'why have you done that, that is a bit weird?'

"He doesn't always command his area but he makes some unbelievable saves. So I always feel it isn't in spite of him that Leeds are doing really well at the back in general.

"For me, it is very much a combination of the five and he has in fact been the one consistent when others have changed. So you have to give him credit, even if you don't particularly like him or you wanted him to go, you have to give him credit for growing into that role."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds