Category: Leeds

Pete Hanson is the Head of Editorial Standards for MOT Leeds News as part of the Breaking Media network. With a vast background in sports journalism and data analysis, Pete provides expertise in talent development, strategy planning, and new content strands for all things Leeds United. Based in Sheffield, Pete has previously worked for PA Media, Sporting News, and Stats Perform, after earning a Masters in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University.

Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions kick off at 10pm, and Haaland has admitted Norway’s run to the last eight has surprised them. According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, he has long made clear his regard for the English game and for Leeds.Eligible for England after birth in Leeds in July 2000 during Alf-Inge’s spell with the Whites, he later said at RB Salzburg that his dream was to win the Premier League with Leeds and eclipse his father.He now has 54 caps and 62 goals for Norway, and sits third in the World Cup Golden Boot race with seven, one behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.He has scored three times against Leeds for Manchester City, and after a brace in City’s 3-1 win at Elland Road in 2022 he said: “It was planned. I didn’t feel like cheering. I have respect for Leeds, where I was born,” he told VG.He later appeared to perform a Leeds salute after scoring against Galatasaray in January’s Champions League, a gesture many supporters linked to the killings of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul. In May, collecting his FA Cup winners’ medal, he answered a “Leeds, Leeds, Leeds” chant with “til we die”.“Erling Haaland is a Leeds fan, yeah. He is. He is a massive Leeds fan as well,” said Kalvin Phillips in 2022 on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Leeds United need to sign at least one defender this summer after losing Pascal Struijk, and the Yorkshire team is eyeing a move for Mariano Troilo.Signing a centre-half is one of the priorities for Leeds in the transfer window alongside a new goalkeeper, and Troilo has emerged as an option on their transfer shortlist.AdvertisementThe Leeds target impressed in Serie A, where he helped Parma keep five clean sheets in 21 appearances (18 starts).Troilo won 63 percent of his aerial and 56% of his ground duels across those fixtures. He is a player with ‘great potential‘.The 23-year-old is a fantastic defensive prospect and fits the profile Leeds want. He is young, complete and has resale value.The 6ft4in star reads the game well and has all the tools to become a world-beater, but it remains to be seen how hard they’ll push for his signature.AdvertisementLeeds’ first-choice defensive signing is Ousmane Diomande, but the highly touted defender has a massive release clause.Also, with Champions League clubs showing interest, the English side might not be able to convince him about a move to Elland Road.Switzerland’s Nico Elvedi has been considered, but Leeds are concerned that he is 29 and has no resale value, even though he will cost around £9 million.Troilo would be a terrific alternative if Leeds cannot secure a deal for Tarik Muharemovic, who is also on their radar and regarded as one of Europe’s best young defenders.AdvertisementThe Bosnian has attracted interest from several clubs thanks to his impressive performances and huge potential, making competition for his signature fierce.If Leeds miss out on Muharemovic, they should turn their attention fully towards Troilo.The Parma defender offers many of the same qualities – youth, physical presence, technical ability and significant room for development.Landing either would represent a smart long-term investment.

The goalkeeping department at Leeds United has been shaken up heavily recently.

Karl Darlow has unfortunately made the controversial move to Manchester United. So, Daniel Farke is now without the ‘keeper he relied upon for so long last season.

Illan Meslier also recently left Leeds as a free agent. The Frenchman has somehow got a move to Arsenal off the back of his dismal form in West Yorkshire.

However, all this uncertainty could benefit Lucas Perri, who signed for £15.6million last summer.

Lucas Perri may have one final chance to impress

Despite their reportedly being interest in Perri from Torino, the Brazilian may opt to stick around and use pre-season to prove to Farke why he should be reinstated as the first-choice goalkeeper.

Perri lost that role back in January after a string of costly errors and was unable to win back his place. Perri did, however, look relatively solid for the most part during United’s FA Cup run.

If Perri can have a good pre-season and earn Farke’s trust, this will potentially save the 49ers a fortune. Instead of having to splash out on a new ‘keeper, Leeds could potentially only have to bring in a new backup for Perri should he get back to his best.

I’m sure he’s a far better ‘keeper than what we’ve seen. Otherwise, the 49ers wouldn’t have spent big money on him last summer. As things stand, we have a packed pre-season schedule with six games.

So with Darlow gone, Perri has been handed one last lifeline at Leeds to impress before the new season.

Graham Smyth reported that part of Darlow’s reason for leaving was that he was not guaranteed to be the first choice, with Leeds said to be planning to sign a new senior goalkeeper this summer. So Perri may not have long to impress.

If Perri wants to alter the club’s plans and prove he can cut it in the Premier League, he needs to begin pre-season exceptionally.

Lucas Perri should not be kept as a backup

This summer, Perri should either be kept and played regularly or sold. No in between.

He’s simply far too expensive an asset to be kept sitting on the bench. According to Capology, Perri earns around £62,500 a week, reinforcing this point.

So if Perri proves he’s still not capable of being our main man in the Premier League in pre-season, we should just cut our losses and sell him.

Hopefully, after just one poor season, his stock will not have dropped to the point where no one is willing to fork out to pay a respectable fee to take the 28-year-old off our hands.

If we do move Perri on, the timing of that deal is also important. We should not get rid of the Brazilian until we have at least one new ‘keeper through the door.

Because if we go into negotiations with clubs knowing we need two goalkeepers this summer following Darlow’s move away, that could potentially be used against us.

Clubs may then drive the price up of any potential targets we may have. They will be acutely aware that we would be desperate for new blood in our goalkeeping department.

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Sheffield Wednesday’s plans for a successful rebuilding job in League One are well underway, with new owner, David Storch, certainly getting the fans on side in the early weeks of his tenure. The upcoming campaign will be the first time the Owls have played at third tier level in three years, and, yet again, such developments come off the back of major financial mismanagement which Storch and fellow members of his consortium – Arise Capital Partners – will hope to leave in the past as the club looks to move forward shrewdly. That said, Wednesday will still be seen as a major scalp for the vast majority of their 23 divisional rivals due to the club’s overall stature, and that facet can also work as a major advantage in the transfer market when it comes to attracting players who want to aid the latest rebuild at Hillsborough. Experienced figures such as Liam Cooper and Max Lowe have extended their contracts with the club as a result, and as well as completing several other exciting deals, including a reunion for Barry Bannan, it was confirmed on Tuesday that Harry Gray had joined from Yorkshire rivals, Leeds United, on a loan basis. Despite being just 17 years of age, there is already plenty of hype surrounding the forward and brother of Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Archie, who was sold by Leeds for approximately £30m. And, it has already been revealed as to what steps Daniel Farke will be taking after the agreement was struck between the two clubs.
How Daniel Farke views Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United loan agreement for Harry Gray revealed

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This loan move will not be Gray’s first experience of League One football either, which could come as a major benefit to the Owls also. Indeed, the England Under-17 international was acquired by Rotherham United earlier in 2026 as Wednesday’s South Yorkshire neighbours attempted to stave off a first relegation to League Two in 14 years. They ultimately failed in those attempts, but Gray still earned plenty of praise in what was his first prolonged spell of exposure to the senior game, scoring three times in 20 appearances, as well as providing a further assist. After making just one appearance for United’s senior team while boasting an impressive goalscoring record at academy level, it had previously been reported that the Premier League side always planned to loan the striker out at some point in the new season, but the timing of that agreement was initially unclear despite links of a move to Wednesday and another Yorkshire side in Huddersfield Town.

Related

7 reasons to be excited as a Sheffield Wednesday fan this summer

FLW outline the seven primary reasons for Sheffield Wednesday fans to be excited by the summer ahead and 2026/27 in League One as well.

It has since been claimed by Leeds Live that Farke had initially planned to cast his eyes on Gray’s performances in pre-season, which, for Leeds, includes a spell in the United States for fixtures against Liverpool, Sunderland and Wrexham. The aforementioned report also states that, instead, a spell in pre-season with Pedersen’s new-look side at Middlewood Road will enhance the attacker’s chances of featuring regularly in a campaign which could last over 50 matches in all competitions.

As such, Leeds’ German head coach will now monitor Gray’s progress from afar, and it could soon see him reintegrated into the first-team plans at Elland Road.
Harry Gray could have a major breakthrough season at Sheffield Wednesday

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The makeup of Pedersen’s potential squad at this moment in time is certainly showcasing a nice blend of experience and youthful flair, with Gray certainly capable of providing the latter, either as a central striker or on the flanks. And, even though last season was one of extreme difficulty for Pedersen and the Owls, a major plus-point was the emergence of several young talents, many of whom starred, ironically, in a famous penalty shootout victory for the Hillsborough outfit against Leeds in the EFL Cup second round last August.

How many goals could Harry Gray score for Sheffield Wednesday this season? Comment below!

New Wednesday sporting director, Simon Wilson, has already outlined that he ‘expects’ Gray to pose a “big threat” to opposition defenders, and that will certainly install further confidence into all parties that this was the right course of action at this stage of his career.

With a combined 121 goals and assists at the FIFA World Cup, players from the 2025/26 Premier League teams have produced almost double the direct goal contributions of any other league, with Spain’s LaLiga next on 62, 10 ahead of Germany’s Bundesliga.
Here, we take a look at the Premier League stars who are leading the way, including World Cup players who were featuring for Premier League clubs at the end of the 2025/26 season and those registered to play for Premier League clubs in 2026/27.
Stats correct as of 12:45 BST on 10 July. Scroll across on mobile to see each table
Who are the top goalscorers?
Erling Haaland is in contention to win the World Cup Golden Boot after scoring seven times in only four matches so far.
Manchester City’s prolific striker is locked in competition with three other world-class forwards. Argentina’s Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) and France’s Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) both lead the way with eight goals, Haaland is behind the pair on seven goals, while England captain Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, is just behind on six.
Top PL goalscorers* 

Player
Goals
Nation
Club

Erling Haaland
7
NOR
MCI

Ismaila Sarr
4
SEN
CRY

Brian Brobbey
3
NED
SUN

Matheus Cunha
3
BRA
MUN

Yoane Wissa
3
COD
NEW

Kai Havertz
3
GER
ARS

Cody Gakpo
3
NED
LIV

Yasin Ayari
2
SWE
BHA

Anthony Elanga
2
SWE
NEW

Leandro Trossard
2
BEL
ARS

Daichi Kamada
2
JPN
CRY

Daniel Munoz
2
COL
CRY

Amad
2
CIV
MUN

Habib Diarra
2
SEN
SUN

Youri Tielemans
2
BEL
AVL

*Scroll across to see the full table on mobile. Players set to feature in 2026/27 PL. Min. two goals.Who are the top assisters?
Only ex-Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) has provided more assists in the competition than Bruno Guimaraes.
Top PL assisters*

Player
Assists
Nation
Club

Bruno Guimaraes
4
BRA
NEW

Martin Odegaard
3
NOR
ARS

Florian Wirtz
3
GER
LIV

Alexander Isak
3
SWE
LIV

Bukayo Saka
3
ENG
ARS

Leandro Trossard
2
BEL
ARS

Iliman Ndiaye
2
SEN
EVE

Chris Wood
2
NZL
NFO

Ryan Gravenberch
2
NED
LIV

Viktor Gyokeres
2
SWE
ARS

*Scroll across to see the full table on mobile. Players set to feature in 2026/27 PL. Min. two assists.
Which clubs are leading the way?
Arsenal are the Premier League team with the most goal involvements, with 20, from eight goals and 12 assists. They lie eight behind the leading club, Real Madrid.
Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Arsenal have each had eight goals scored by their players, a total only Real and Paris Saint-Germain can surpass.
Top 11 clubs for goals and assists**

Team
Goals & assists
Goals
Assists

Real Madrid (ESP)
28
17
11

PSG (FRA)
20
13
7

Arsenal (ENG)
20
8
12

Bayern Munich (GER)
20
8
12

Liverpool (ENG)
19
6
13

Newcastle (ENG)
11
5
6

Crystal Palace (ENG)
10
8
2

Inter Miami (USA)
10
8
2

Man City (ENG)
9
7
2

Man Utd (ENG)
9
7
2

Sunderland (ENG)
9
8
1

**Scroll across to see the full table on mobile. Players who featured in 2025/26 PL
Other PL clubs for goals and assists**

Team
Goals & assists
Goals
Assists

Nott’m Forest
5
1
4

Chelsea
4
1
3

Fulham
4
4
0

West Ham
4
2
2

Aston Villa
3
3
0

Brighton
3
3
0

Everton
3
1
2

Spurs
3
2
1

Burnley
2
0
2

Wolves
2
1
1

Bournemouth
1
0
1

**Scroll across to see the full table on mobile. Club stats are based on 2025/26 player registrations
Total minutes for Premier League clubs’ players**

Team
Minutes

Man City
4,416

Arsenal
3,861

Liverpool
3,365

Aston Villa
2,609

Crystal Palace
2,493

Man Utd
2,396

Fulham
2,064

Sunderland
2,011

Brighton
1,987

Spurs
1,823

Chelsea
1,794

Nott’m Forest
1,543

Newcastle
1,338

Everton
1,113

Bournemouth
1,027

Wolves
979

West Ham
914

Burnley
721

Leeds
620

Brentford
503

**Club stats are based on 2025/26 player registrations

Derby County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom will return from the World Cup with considerable speculation about his future regarding clubs in both the Premier League and the Championship. Players are now returning from the 2026 World Cup finals in North America, and one who will come back to England to be greeted with considerable speculation concerning his future is the Derby County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. Zetterstrom was called up to the Sweden squad by head coach Graham Potter, despite only having made three prior appearances for them, but was called in as a replacement for Kristoffer Nordveldt following the 5-1 defeat inflicted upon them by the Netherlands in their second match. Having featured in their final group match against Japan and their round of 32 defeat to France, and received reasonably good reviews despite his team’s reasonably early exit from the competition, Zetterstrom’s profile has only further boosted, and he’s already been on the radar of several clubs, which makes his departure from Pride Park this summer look inevitable.
Jacob Widell Zetterstrom urged to make step up to the Premier League after Derby & Sweden exploits

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Two clubs that have been connected with a potential move for Zetterstrom are Premier League side Leeds United and freshly-relegated Wolverhampton Wanderers, so FLW has spoken to our resident Derby County fan pundit Shaun Woodward, who is in little doubt over where the goalkeeper’s next destination should be. “It wouldn’t make any sense to sell him to Wolves. It wouldn’t be a step forward for him because he’d be playing in the same league, and he needs to be playing at a higher level,” Shaun told FLW.

Do you think Molineux or Elland Road would make the best next career move for Jacob WIdell Zetterstrom? Let us know in the comments below!

“So, if we are going to sell him it would make total sense to do it to a team in the Premier League. “He deserves that shot, and even if Wolves can match Leeds’s offer, he needs to be playing at a higher level, because it makes no sense, him staying in the same league and potentially stagnating in the Championship. “He needs to be playing with the best players and against the best players to progress his career. “He deserves that shot, so it would make absolutely no sense for us to sell him to Wolves, especially if they can’t pay more than Leeds, but even if they can, I still think for him personally he should be in the Premier League.”

Related

Fabrizio Romano: Leeds United in ‘contact’ over Derby County transfer

Leeds United, Frankfurt and Wolves are all considering a potential deal for Derby County keeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.

What Derby, Wolves and Leeds fans are saying about Jacob Widell Zetterstrom’s future

The possibility of Zetterstrom moving on from Pride Park has caused a lot of comment on social media, but not all Leeds fans are that excited by the prospect of him going to Elland Road.

This cynicism doesn’t apply to all fans of the Premier League club, though they are being warned to be careful with their money.

These Wolves fans are of the view that Zetterstrom would make a decent addition at Molineux if the price is right.

But this Derby County fan believes that any offers for their goalkeeper are going to need to be high, to tempt the Rams to sell up.

Jacob Widell Zetterstrom will surely have his eyes on the Premier League

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A strong performance in a World Cup will always boost the profile of a player, and this has certainly been the case regarding Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. The goalkeeper’s call-up by Graham Potter for Sweden’s final group match against Japan raised a few eyebrows, but the 1-1 draw they took from the game was enough to get them through to the Round of 32, and even though they couldn’t get past France, Zetterstrom’s stock rose still further with a strong performance against the tournament favourites. But Zetterstrom earned his place in the Sweden squad off the back of a string of impressive performances for Derby County as the Rams pressed hard for a play-off place last season. Derby County were eventually pipped to the post for the final one of these by Hull City, but this was still a dramatic improvement on the end of the 2024-25 season, when they were sweating on whether they’d survive the drop until the last day of the season.

But with Illan Meslier having left Leeds United at the end of last season – he’s currently reported to be set to join Arsenal – there’s a space at Leeds for another goalkeeper. Karl Darlow was their goalkeeper for much of last season, but he’s now 35 years of age and Zetterstrom would be expected to press hard to become Daniel Farke’s first choice. Going to Wolves would be a sideways move, with the Black Country club having been relegated at the end of 2025-26, but there have been persistent rumours that Sam Johnstone could be on his way to Manchester United, while Jose Sa has also been linked to a move away from Molineux. They’re clearly ambitious to return to the Premier League quickly, so this move being a sideways one could be a temporary state of affairs. Moving to the Premier League will have an obvious appeal to the goalkeeper, but the risks are higher. First-team football in the Championship with Wolves might be easier to hold onto than in the Premier League with Leeds. At 27 years of age, though, Zetterstrom is now reaching the peak years of his career, and if he’s to get to the highest level he can play at, now might be the best time to take that chance.

Harry Wilson says Leeds United’s persistence convinced him to sign after the Wales international completed a free transfer to Elland Road on a four-year deal to June 2030, confirmed on Wednesday.“Really, really excited. It is a massive, massive club in the Premier League where the club belongs so, yeah, really excited to join and hope to have some exciting years together,” he told the club’s official website.“To play for Leeds, you have to have a big personality. You have to be able to deal with pressure – the demands of the club and demands of the fans. You have to be able to take the pressure and go out and perform.”The 29-year-old left Fulham when his contract expired on June 30, becoming a free agent. Despite reported interest from Benfica, he chose to remain in the Premier League with Leeds.He will reunite with a familiar Welsh contingent in Daniel James, Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow as he links up with his new team-mates for pre-season and settles in Yorkshire.Wilson was among the Premier League’s most productive attacking midfielders last season, scoring 11 goals and providing seven assists. He won Fulham’s Player of the Year award, and his strike against Crystal Palace was voted BBC’s Goal of the Season.

Harry Wilson
Credit: Imago

Leeds United confirmed the long-awaited arrival of Harry Wilson on a free transfer. The winger joined the Whites after leaving Fulham after his contract expired.

The 29-year-old winger has signed a four-year contract with the club and is currently Leeds’ highest-paid player alongside striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Most Read on The Leeds Press

Wilson almost joined Leeds last summer on deadline day. However, Fulham pulled the plug on a deal to sell him at the last minute, and he had a brilliant last season at Craven Cottage.

Fulham wanted to hold on to him, and even offered him a new contract. However, Wilson decided to seek a fresh challenge and arrived at Elland Road.

Read More: Leeds United transfer plan confirmed after Harry Wilson signing

Harry Wilson receives emotional farewell from Fulham

Fulham were keen to keep him at Craven Cottage. However, once Marco Silva moved on from the club, the 29-year-old winger was never going to stay.

Leeds claimed that the winger rejected several offers over a move to Elland Road, and are clearly pleased with the acquisition of the Welsh winger.

Fulham are disappointed but have released a classy statement, wishing him good luck at Leeds and insisting that the winger left a brilliant legacy at Craven Cottage with his performances.

They thanked Wilson and wrote on X: “Harry Wilson has joined Leeds United following the expiry of his contract.

“Wilson departs with a fantastic Fulham legacy, and we wish him the best of luck.”

Wilson had a great last season at Fulham, and was one of the most potent wide attackers in the Premier League.

Leeds had identified him as a target long before his outstanding season at Craven Cottage. They are now set to bring in a player whose confidence is sky-high after an impressive campaign last year.

He solves a headache for Daniel Farke

Leeds United’s biggest problem last season was not creating promising situations, but turning them into goals.

Daniel Farke built a disciplined side that was tough to beat and dangerous on the counter, but when opponents sat deep and forced Leeds to dominate possession, they too often lacked the creativity and cutting edge to unlock stubborn defences.

That helps explain why the 49ers have been so determined to add players such as Harry Wilson this summer.

He can provide the quality Leeds have been missing in the final third. Farke already has plenty of industrious midfielders who can press, cover ground and do the defensive work, but the squad is crying out for players who can consistently create chances, pick out decisive passes and contribute goals.

Wilson, in particular, looks an ideal fit. He finished last season with 11 goals and eight assists for a Fulham side that endured an inconsistent campaign, numbers that highlight the influence he can have in the final third.

His versatility only adds to his appeal. Whether deployed as a No. 10, on either flank or in an advanced midfield role, Wilson would give Farke far greater tactical flexibility and another genuine source of creativity and goals.

Leeds United has officially announced the signing of Welsh international Harry Wilson on a four-year contract. The 29-year-old attacking midfielder arrives at Elland Road as a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Fulham at the end of June.
Wilson, who transferred to Fulham from Liverpool for £12 million in 2022 after a successful loan spell, had a standout season last year, marking his best goalscoring record in the Premier League with 10 goals across 36 appearances. His impressive performances have attracted attention, leading to his move to Leeds, a club steeped in history and ambition.
In expressing his enthusiasm for the move, Wilson shared insights into his decision, stating, “When the season finished and I became a free transfer, I felt Leeds were the team that really showed the interest in me. As a player, you want to play for a team which you feel like they want you and you feel like they are doing everything to get you.”
Wilson is particularly keen on embracing the challenges that come with playing for Leeds, recognizing the club’s reputation in the Premier League. “It is a massive, massive club… To play for Leeds, you have to have a big personality,” he remarked. He further added that players in this environment “have to be able to deal with pressure – the demands of the club and demands of the fans.”
This acquisition marks a significant step for Leeds as Wilson becomes their first signing of the summer transfer window. The club is reportedly also interested in bringing in Southampton midfielder Shea Charles and German international Julian Brandt, who recently departed Borussia Dortmund after his contract expired, signaling that further moves may be on the horizon as they seek to bolster their squad ahead of the new season.