Leeds United are pushing towards securing automatic promotion to the Premier League in the remaining eleven games of the Championship season. However, ahead of a pivotal summer where they could be building a squad for the top flight, there is likely to be significant changes in the structure of the club. CEO Angus Kinnear is widely expected to move on and join Everton in the coming months. Leeds have also been linked with bringing in new personnel for their management and appointing a sporting director is said to be on the cards for the Whites in the coming months.
Daniel Farke and his Leeds United players are focused on ensuring that they secure automatic promotion to the Premier League as soon as possible in the coming weeks and months.
However, changes are set to take place behind the scenes and they could have a new-look management in place at the club during the next summer transfer window.
Everton have already held talks with Leeds to poach Kinnear and he is widely expected to move to Goodison Park at the end of the season.
Leeds have been without a sporting director or its equivalent for a while and there is speculation that they could be closing in on appointing someone for that role.
The Whites have been linked with a move to land Samir Arabi, who worked at Arminia Bielefeld previously, as their new sporting director ahead of the summer.
The German has a huge reputation for the work that he carried out at Arminia, where he took the club from midtable mediocrity in the German third division to the Bundesliga.
However, there seems to be a twist in the tale.
Leeds United have reacted to the sporting director rumours
The Arabi rumours have blown up since yesterday when it was reported that Leeds are closing in on appointing the 46-year-old as their new sporting director.
However, Leeds seem to have poured cold water over the speculation and according to Leeds Live, the club are not looking to bring in the German for the role.
Leeds have termed the rumours wild and sources inside the club insist that Arabi is not being looked at as their new sporting director ahead of the summer.
Changes could still happen at the top level as Leeds are silent on Kinnear’s potential departure and it seems he is almost certain to move on from Elland Road.
He would need replacing should he leave, but it seems Arabi is not the guy who would be coming in as the club’s new sporting director in the coming months.
Leeds would likely add another layer of expertise to their recruitment department given they could be planning a squad for the Premier League in the summer.
However, with no sporting director inside the club, it seems Farke would have more power to dictate the club’s recruitment plans in the next window.
There is uncertainty around Leeds ahead of the summer
Leeds look stable on the pitch and are expected to secure automatic promotion in the remaining eleven Championship games of the season. However, off the pitch, it seems a different story.
The talk of Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe moving towards acquiring Rangers as part of an American consortium has led to some uncertainty around Leeds.
The potential departure of CEO Angus Kinnear has further added to the sense of flux inside the club’s management ahead of a crucial summer transfer window.
Can you name these past and present Leeds United players?
Leeds are also without a sporting director for a while and the role has acquired more importance in recent years with most clubs having a dedicated man to do that job.
The Whites would need added expertise in the market next summer when they are likely to build a squad that could survive in the Premier League next season.
It seems Arabi is not that guy, but it remains to be seen whether Leeds are actually looking to bring in someone to hold the sporting director’s role.
