Leeds United manager Daniel Farke and the 49ers recruitment team had to collaborate this summer to bring in the 10 signings the club made.
That doesn’t mean every signing was easy to secure or agree upon, nor every decision which the club made was simple this summer. Naturally in a transfer window, there were disputes over various strategies and players at different points for Leeds United.
Leeds’ signings 2025/26
Of course, from the sheer size of the signings alone, it’s clear Leeds have had to prioritise Premier League physicality in various guises. The Leeds team is much taller than last season.
Daniel Farke has explained tactical flexibility in the Premier League will improve and the 49ers appear to have done their Premier League research on what it takes to survive by prioritising making the core of the team in a defensive sense.
Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty ImagesLeeds set to hire a set-piece coach for Daniel Farke
Even if some final pieces of the puzzle were missed out on, set-pieces will be vital to Leeds this season. Despite wanting a set-piece taker all summer, Leeds will have to manage with Anton Stach’s surprising deliveries instead.
Leeds United are assembling a cast of giants and have identified set-pieces as one of the potential keys to survival. So they need a taker. Last season’s numbers plus the recruitment so far suggest he isn’t among the group yet.#lufchttps://t.co/cUU6RbqHpA
— Graham Smyth (@GrahamSmyth) July 16, 2025
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However, clarity over more work on set-pieces has not been clear until now. Last season, speaking via The Yorkshire Evening Post back in 2024, Farke said: “If you play with these type of players, you get magic and creativity but they rarely come from a set-piece.
“If you play with Dan James you get forward running, pace, goals and assists. We don’t have the team who is so strong in set-pieces, that’s a fact.
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“But we want to be better because it’s an important topic. [When it comes to the takers] I was not happy how we took corners last season, I think we’re much improved. In the box, we always want to improve. Having Pascal [Struijk] back helps.”
“I missed this, last season I missed this a lot, not like a specialist [set-piece coach] – it’s not right now you bring someone in who teach Willy Gnonto to score headers because it’s not possible. I have to praise how much workload we put into this topic, our data people with support from the Americans, we have a company we work with,” he said.
The transfer window is shut and Farke has his squad. It isn’t quite what he hoped it would be, but what now?
– Brownhill dilemma
– set-piece coach hiring process
– main man slot and player who should fill it
– can Farke revive outcast?#lufchttps://t.co/5DOsxfLaua— Graham Smyth (@GrahamSmyth) September 4, 2025
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Graham Smyth has explained that he understands that the club are in the process of hiring a set-piece coach for the first time in Farke’s reign. There has been a greater focus placed on the area already with analysis and coaching.
Leeds United News has learnt that Farke pushed back on the idea for a while, based on previous comments about not working on them much. Now, Leeds know they are a team with plenty of height and the issue has been raised once more.
It’s taken this long for Farke to come round to the idea. Previously, Leeds didn’t have as much need, despite winning plenty of corners and free-kicks in the Championship under the German.
Naturally, Leeds won’t have as many of them this season. However, it could still be a major differential in games. Farke had every right to push back on the idea with a smaller squad, but Leeds now have the tools and profiles.
He has agreed to the importance of it, which is why their search has now begun rather than having one in place throughout pre-season and to start the campaign instead.
Photo by Pat Scaasi/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesWithout an elite set-piece taker, Leeds need more invention
Without any of Bilal El Khannouss, Harry Wilson, or Facundo Buonanotte, Leeds don’t have an elite taker to deliver regular quality for their taller players. Therefore, the need for routines is more necessary.
That is perhaps why the 49ers have been able to convince Farke of the idea. Leeds need more variety in terms of types of routine. Farke was not known for this in his previous role with Norwich City, either.
Arsenal and Brentford are among the best teams in recent years in this respect. Leeds may not have one clinical player in their squad, but instead a spread of goal involvements for the output needed to survive.
Even if a set-piece coach can add greater creativity and ingenuity to help Stach find Leeds targets, as well as some of the “dark arts” in Smyth’s words, then that could and perhaps would make a big difference to Leeds’ goals for column.