Daniel Farke will be putting the final touches on his preparations as Leeds United prepare to face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough this evening. The German is without a win this season and under some early pressure, but three points in South Yorkshire would go a long way to kicking this campaign into gear. They face a Wednesday outfit who have both won and lost 4-0 in their opening two fixtures but are much-improved under the impressive Danny Rohl.
Supporters will have a keen eye on the directors’ box at Hillsborough in anticipation of seeing new signing Largie Ramazani, who signed a four-year deal on Thursday after the agreement of a £10m fee with UD Almeria. There is an expectation that more – Farke would like at least three – will follow before August 30. It’s set to be a busy final week of the window and the YEP has rounded up some of the latest stories surrounding the club.
Clarke deal agreed
Clarke attracted the interest of top Premier League clubs after registering 15 goals and four assists in 40 league appearances for a struggling Sunderland side, and after entering the final two years of his contract a move looked likely. Ipswich have already plucked a number of top Championship players for their Premier League return and look set to add Clarke to a growing former Leeds contingent, with the 23-year-old joining Leif Davis and the on-loan Kalvin Phillips.
The YEP reported on Monday that Leeds could not rule out a late-summer move for Clarke, although there was an understanding he was set for Premier League football. Recruitment chiefs looked to have turned focus onto more realistic targets and can soon categorically rule out his return to West Yorkshire.
Free agent cover
Defensive cover remains a priority for Leeds and reports suggest they could utilise the free agent market to get their man. The Daily Mail claim a move for Swiss international right-back Michael Lang is being ‘explored’ by those in charge at Elland Road.
Thirty-three-year-old Lang left FC Basel after his contract expired this summer, having spent the majority of his career in Switzerland barring a three-year spell in Germany. The experienced right-back has played regularly in the Champions League and Europa League and has 31 caps for Switzerland, many of which came in three major tournaments.
Farke remains keen on signing defensive cover, with Sam Byram the only current back-up on both sides of the back-four and prone to injury issues over the course of a season. But with money needing to be pushed towards likely starters in attack and central midfield, finding defensive cover for free could represent a shrewd move.
