Daniel Farke update emerges as Leeds United chase £10m Nat Phillips transfer from Liverpool
Leeds United are now “expected to finalise” Daniel Farke as their new manager amid the chase to sign Nat Phillips from Liverpool, the Daily Mail reports.
The German has been a central figure in the process to find a successor for Sam Allardyce, and Phil Hay noted in The Athletic Tuesday (27 June) that he was previously “keen” on the Anfield defender.
The announcement of the new boss is hoped for at Elland Road by Sunday (2 July) at the “very latest” but the 49ers are thought to be insisting on waiting for EFL approval for their 100% takeover first.
With Diego Llorente’s return to Roma done, Rasmus Kristensen following close behind, and Robin Koch also closing in on a loan departure Leeds United need to revamp their defence.
Liverpool reportedly want as much as £10m for Phillips, 26, who made only two Premier League appearances for Jurgen Klopp last year and is ready to move for more first-team football.
Signal
Fans will be glad to see the club are starting to actually line up transfer targets after a month following relegation that has had so much work above that level to sort out first.
And with Phillips now in their sights, after strong links to Stuart Webber as the longer-team sporting director, the writing appears to be on the wall for a Farke announcement sooner or later.
Everyone involved with the club would surely prefer it to be sooner, but if they are waiting on EFL ratification it is difficult to know when that will come.
The summer kicked off with a dismal relegation with questions at every level of the club, and delays to each of those answers have proven a frustration.
Things look like they are finally starting to take shape, but with the players due back for the start of preseason at the weekend it is hard to say that this is the ideal start for the new manager to push for a vital promotion.
Assuming it is Farke who comes in however, Leeds United certainly will have a man who knows how to achieve that, having won the division twice at Norwich, so if anyone can make up for the extra challenges it is probably him.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are ready to agree yet another loan exit but this one is the most surprising one yet.