49ers Enterprises may sack Daniel Farke as Steve Cooper already identified as next Leeds United boss

After an excellent start to the season, the festive period has seen Leeds United struggle for consistency and slip away from the automatic promotion places.

Friday 29 December saw them lose back-to-back games in the Championship for the first time under the management of Daniel Farke as they were well beaten 1-0 by Carlos Corberan's West Brom at The Hawthorns.

The German received a mixed reception from the travelling supporters as he made his way over to the away end on Friday night, with some fans voicing their frustrations towards the Leeds United boss as he consoled his team following the full-time whistle [Graham Smyth, 30 December].

Pressure is already mounting on the Whites boss as the expectation at Elland Road this season was for an immediate return to the Premier League and currently Leeds are miles off of the pace set by both Leicester City and Ipswich Town at the top of the table.

With the January transfer window now only days away and the opportunity for further investment around the corner, Leeds owners 49ers Enterprises could well look to make a change at the top and sack Farke after only a matter of months in Yorkshire.

It remains unlikely but things have changed rather drastically in the footballing world since Farke was appointed. One big shift is the fact that Steve Cooper is now out of work having been sacked by Nottingham Forest.

Phil Hay reported that somebody close to the 49ers had encouraged the Whites owners to make a move to bring the Welshman to Elland Road from the City Ground in the summer, on the basis that he had recently impressed in England's second-tier [The Athletic, 3 December].

Instead, those in charge at Leeds United unanimously decided that Farke was a better appointment and the German was given the Elland Road keys.

Now, however, the Whites don't have to tempt the former Forest boss away from a job as he is out of work. There would be no need for any sort of compensation or fee to secure his services and the 49ers could get their alternative man.

It is unlikely to happen just off of the back of the defeat to the Baggies, but should this slump continue into 2024, Leeds supporters and their owners could already know the identity of their next manager.

In other Leeds United news, Gary Rowett has admitted that he is "fed up" following several controversial decisions against West Brom