Predicting Leeds United’s XI for their first game of 2025-26: How many new signings?
Leeds United are back in the Premier League once again and they kick off their 2025-26 campaign in a week’s time against Everton.
The club have made some notable signings so far this summer, but there’s clearly more work to be done in the transfer market. But how will Daniel Farke’s newly-promoted Whites shape up when they round off the opening weekend’s action on Monday evening?
Here’s our best prediction for how Leeds will line up against Everton.
GK: Lucas Perri
The spot between the sticks was always the area in the most pressing need of addressing ahead of Leeds’ return to the top flight.
Illan Meslier’s costly mistakes made it unviable for him to remain the club’s No.1 in the Premier League. It’s expected the Frenchman will leave to rebuild his career elsewhere, with Karl Darlow set to remain in his back-up role.
Leeds took time to get a new signing in, but they eventually sealed a £15.6million deal to sign imposing 27-year-old Brazilian Perri from Lyon. Farke has made it clear he’ll go straight in as first-choice, and he made his debut in the final pre-season friendly 1-1 draw with AC Milan.
‘Yeah I’m totally fit,” Perri told reporters.
“I had a minor hamstring problem a few weeks ago so they took a slow approach with my return but now I’m fully fit, 100 per cent and ready to go.
“Defensively we are doing a pretty good job during pre-season and offensively, we are scoring goals. We’re ready and we are ready to fight.”
RB: Jayden Bogle
The only question mark here is Bogle’s availability. Leeds’ first-choice right-back is expected back in training this week after suffering from a hip injury. If he’s fit and firing, you imagine he’ll go straight back in.
Farke appears wholly unconvinced by back-up Isaac Schmidt, who may well be sold this window.
Sam Byram has been a serviceable squad option over the past two seasons, but starting him in Leeds’ first game back in the top flight would raise alarm bells.
You imagine that Leeds will try sign another right-back, but Bogle surely has the spot nailed down for now. He was outstanding in the promotion run-in and looks ready to take a better stab at Premier League survival than his last stint at Sheffield United.
CB: Joe Rodon
As was the case over the past two seasons in the second tier, Rodon will surely remain among the first names on Farke’s teamsheet.
The Welshman has a point to prove after barely getting a look-in at Tottenham. This is his first proper go at the Premier League, and you imagine he’s relishing the challenge.
CB: Pascal Struijk
Jaka Bijol, a 6’3″ man mountain of a centre-back, will surely have a key role to play for Leeds after signing from Udinese.
But the Slovenia international is in the unusual scenario of being suspended for his first outing in English football, with two yellows from his final appearance in Serie A carrying over to the Premier League.
Struijk, likely the last man standing from Leeds’ last promotion from the Championship, will surely start alongside Rodon for the opener.
A tried-and-tested Championship pairing, it’ll be interesting to see how they fare with the step up.
LB: Gabriel Gudmundsson
Junior Firpo returned to Real Betis, having done well to turn to establish himself as a proper cult hero of Leeds’ 2024-25 promotion campaign.
New arrival Gudmundsson will do well to offer as much going forward, while we can’t see him playing such a fluid positional style, but the early pre-season displays look promising.
The Swede looks as though he’s got the engine and physical prowess to thrive as a Premier League left-back.
DM: Ethan Ampadu
The Wales international already has three relegations on his CV from his days as a perennial Chelsea loanee, but now he’s found a settled home he’ll be looking to show he belongs at the top level.
Ampadu, Farke’s entrusted skipper, was among the club’s best and most consistent performers over the past two years in the Championship.
He had to fill in at centre-back regularly, just as he did in his last Premier League stint with Sheffield United, but all the signs point to him getting a proper run in his favoured role at the base of midfield going forward.
CM: Ao Tanaka
We’re still wondering what Farke’s midfield will look like in terms of shape and personnel. You imagine it’s one area that’s relatively flexible depending on the opposition and task at hand.
Tanaka was a revelation last season, but his place in the starting XI is far from guaranteed. Summer addition Sean Longstaff offers considerable Premier League experience, while Ilia Gruev’s solid but unspectacular style might suit keeping things tight against top-class opposition.
The Japan international’s starting place against Milan suggests that Farke is prepping him for Everton. Circumstance denied us a regular look at a Tanaka-Ampadu pivot last season but there’s a potentially top-class midfield pair in waiting there.
CM: Anton Stach
The early signs from pre-season are that Leeds have signed an absolute gem in Stach. Exceptional against Milan, it was the German’s fine finish that drew Farke’s side level midway through the second half.
There remains an argument that Leeds haven’t added the requisite stardust to their squad this summer, but Stach has the potential to be a game-changer. At the very least, you’d imagine he’s nailed down his spot against Everton after shining in Dublin.
FWR: Daniel James
We’re yet to see James really shine in the top flight.
He had his moments at Manchester United but struggled for form. You’d say the same for Anthony and Jadon Sancho, though, and the Welshman cost a fraction of what they did.
Appearances at No.9 under Marcelo Bielsa in his debut season at Leeds were unconvincing, while a forgettable loan on the fringes at Fulham came and went.
James really seems to have kicked on since dropping back down to the Championship. His finishing and decision-making in the final third have come on leaps and bounds. But doing the same in the Premier League will be easier said than done.
His skill set could prove particularly useful if, as expected, Leeds adopt a more counter-attacking gameplan going forward. This is a big season for James.
ST: Joel Piroe
“We have replaced Joseph and Bamford with Nmecha, a free agent, but we have lost Solomon, one of our key players,” Farke said after the Milan draw.
“In comparison to our Championship squad, we have not improved in the offence.”
Strong words. There is evidently still work to do to bolster Farke’s attack in the remaining weeks of the window.
Mateo Joseph has just completed a loan move to La Liga club Mallorca and Patrick Bamford has been demoted to the bomb squad, leaving the Championship top scorer Piroe as the obvious choice up top.
You imagine summer signing Lukas Nmecha will feature off the bench, if at all.
Despite Piroe’s 19-goal return last season, there are major question marks over the Dutchman’s ability to make the step up. A No.9 is surely the next priority after sealing a new ‘keeper, with Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz said to be among the top targets.
At this stage, you wouldn’t expect any new signing to go straight into Farke’s first XI for Everton. But it’s certainly a possibility.
FWL: Wilfried Gnonto
You imagine that, come the end of August, Gnonto will have extra competition. Leeds’ failed pursuit of Brazilian winger Igor Paixao shows they’re targeting added quality in attack.
For now, the Italian starts the season with a real opportunity. Farke appears to trust him more than Largie Ramazani, while Jack Harrison’s future remains up in the air following his two years out on loan at Goodison Park.
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