Credit: Imago

Cameron Smith

Mon 20 April 2026 18:10, UK

Leeds United are in firm control of their battle for Premier League survival.

The Whites ascended from the Championship as title winners last May and have since settled into top-flight life seamlessly.

Last summer, the recruitment at Elland Road drew criticism at the time, particularly as fellow promoted outfit Sunderland spent big and brought in multiple statement signings.

Looking back at the window, it is clear now that the West Yorkshire side got their recruitment plan spot on, with each of Daniel Farke’s signings having a significant impact on the side.

With 15 points to play for, Leeds sit eight points clear of the bottom three, and last summer’s business has played an integral role in this.

Leeds United had a clear recruitment plan ahead of Premier League return

While it may have seemed underwhelming at the time, the recruitment plan at Elland Road was clear.

Targeting players in the prime years of their careers, the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Noah Okafor, Anton Stach and more were all added to Farke’s ranks as Leeds looked to survive.

Across the Premier League, Leeds were the only side to bring in only players over the age of 25, with individuals in the prime years of their careers as the clear target.

Only Arsenal come anywhere close to this, with 70 per cent of their summer business focusing on this age range.

And it would be this recruitment plan that has guided the Whites to where they are, with each of those mentioned in the above table having a significant impact over the course of the relegation battle.

Leeds recruitment plan to guide Whites to safety

From day one, the decision to target players in their prime years has been vindicated.

Since the start of the term, Farke’s side have been battle-hardened, with the necessary experience to see out games rather than spending months getting players up to speed.

This has been noticeable particularly up top, with the aforementioned Okafor and Calvert-Lewin, alongside Lukas Nmecha, all registering at least 10 goal contributions across all competitions – the only Leeds players to do so.

Out of the trio, Nmecha has been the one to mainly operate on the periphery, but the former Man City man has proved valuable for depth and has been integral in Leeds’ run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Swiss attacker Okafor has been fantastic in recent weeks, scoring three in two matches against Manchester United and Wolves, while the impact of Calvert-Lewin has been evident all season.

Alongside the likes of Stach, Gabriel Gudmundsson and James Justin bringing their own expertise from top-flight football, Farke has an excellent core who have been able to drag the Whites to where they are.

Over the summer, players arrived in West Yorkshire who Farke could simply plug in, and play, and that has worked wonders as Leeds look set to go on and secure another year of Premier League football.

Right now, it looks like a masterstroke.