Jurgen Klopp has been quietly linked to Leeds United in the past few weeks. Daniel Farke’s recent results have invited a bit of pressure on the German, who has had a mixed season so far.
The humiliating 3-0 loss to Brighton last weekend sparked outrage among the fanbase, with many saying that Farke is not cut out for this level. But overall, Leeds have not had a bad season. The Whites sit in 16th place in the Premier League, four points above the relegation zone. For a newly promoted club, that can be seen as a decent start to the campaign.
The upcoming run of games could prove crucial to the Whites and their survival bid. Up next for Daniel Farke is a huge game against Nottingham Forest on Sunday; both sides are not in the best of form, with the game being a very big chance for three points. After the international break, Leeds have a scary run of games against Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Which means that the result this weekend could determine Daniel Farke’s fate. TeamTalk claim Leeds United have ‘approached’ Jurgen Klopp about taking charge of the club down the line.
Wild Jurgen Klopp Leeds United claim is just a rumour
Looking at the news, it is difficult to see Jurgen Klopp take the hot seat at Elland Road anytime soon. The German left management and took a role with Red Bull over a year ago. And since the brand are investors in Leeds United, the links can be blown out of proportion. Indykalia News recently reported that Klopp turned down the chance to manage the Whites.
| Season | Games Played | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| 2015/16 | 38 | 16 |
| 2016/17 | 38 | 24 |
| 2017/18 | 38 | 21 |
| 2018/19 | 38 | 30 |
| 2019/20 | 38 | 32 |
| 2020/21 | 38 | 20 |
| 2021/22 | 38 | 21 |
| 2022/23 | 38 | 22 |
| 2023/24 | 38 | 24 |
Not to mention that Jurgen Klopp himself has said that any return to England will be to coach Liverpool once again: “I said I will never coach another team, a different team, in England. So that means if then it’s Liverpool … yeah. Theoretically it’s possible.”
So it is highly unlikely that a man who dedicated the best years of his career to the Reds make such a drastic decision in the space of months.
Should Leeds persist with Daniel Farke?
The question remains, at this point of the season, is sacking Farke the best option? Leeds are in the relegation fight, but have managed to stay competitive in some games despite the squad lacking quality. They have gotten some big results against West Ham, Everton and Newcastle United but have also suffered shock defeats to Burnley and Fulham.
| Statistic | Rank |
|---|---|
| Goals | 18th |
| Expected goals | 11th |
| Chances created | 10th |
| Goals conceded | 16th |
| Expected goals against | 5th |
| Clean sheets | 15th |
Daniel Farke is doing the best he can in charge, and the best the club can do is back him. Over a month till the January window, the best the club chiefs can do is hold on and give the German some signings before making a definitive conclusion. And the market for potential replacements is not that great, so sacking Farke does not make sense at this point in time.
