Leeds United’s pre-season preparations are now well underway after starting last week, and Whites defender Luke Ayling claims the team is “ready to go” ahead of today’s friendly clash with fierce rivals Manchester United in Oslo.
Ayling’s comments come amid a summer of upheaval in West Yorkshire following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League last season, as the Whites are still awaiting EFL ratification for their takeover by the San Francisco 49ers – as well as having several players already depart the club during the transfer window.
The appointment of Nick Hammond as interim football advisor and – more significantly – Daniel Farke as the side’s new manager last week appears to have set the Whites’ pre-season into motion, as the German sets to work implementing his footballing philosophy on his players.
Having officially been in the position little over a week, Farke now faces a stern test in Norway as Leeds travel to Oslo to face Manchester United in the first of four pre-season friendlies.
Club stalwart Ayling remains confident of the side’s ability to compete in the Championship next season, and claims that the side have been working “really hard” during Farke’s short time at Thorp Arch and are “excited” by the prospect of learning from the German manager.
Speaking to the club’s official website, Ayling said: “It’s great to be back after last season, it took time for everyone to get over what happened, but now we’re ready to go.
“We’ve come back in now and we are working hard to have a good season ahead of us, we hope.
“The first week of pre-season was good, we worked really hard. There has been a lot of running and football, so it has been tough, but good to be out there.
“The new gaffer has come in and we all know what style of football he plays, we’ve faced him a few times before and his teams have beaten us before whilst playing good football.
“The boys are excited to pick his style up, it’s a short pre-season so we will need to learn quickly. Hopefully we can do that, because it’s vital we get off to a good start this season.”
Today’s meeting with Manchester United will provide Farke with the ideal opportunity to see the full scope of the job he is tasked with at Leeds, and identify areas he will need to strengthen in what remains of the summer transfer window.
