Daniel Farke has just proven Leeds United are safe with him as Arsenal 'vision' revealed

Daniel Farke isn't getting ahead of the project he's building at Leeds United.

The 49-year-old arrived at Elland Road in July 2023, tasked with picking up the pieces from Premier League relegation.

A double Championship promotion-winner with Norwich City, his slow build-up, possession-oriented style of play didn't instantly win over the LS11 faithful though.

Now 148 games into his Whites managerial career, the German is well on the way to returning Leeds towards their rightful and historic place amongst English football's elite.

Finishing 14th in their first season back in the top flight as well as reaching the FA Cup semi-final, every Whites supporter would've snapped your hand off for that this time last year.

But, as success builds so does the ambition and expectation of ownership as well as the fanbase, and that pressure can sometimes have an adverse effect on progression.

When Daniel Farke thinks Leeds may compete with Arsenal in the Premier League

There's not a football fan in England that can argue Leeds' place not being amongst the top clubs in the country.

Leeds' 49ers Enterprises owners understand that too, and with James Trafford set to sign on a record-breaking deal and even talk of being offered AC Milan star Rafael Leao shows the direction the Whites are heading in.

However, managers in Farke's situation can be prone to getting ahead of themselves, and wanting success too quickly and thus spending ridiculous amounts of money to try and make that happen faster.

But Farke doesn't want to see his Leeds team follow in the flight of Icarus, rather, he's embracing time and refuses to see it as the Whites' enemy.

Speaking in an interview with Men in Blazers via Telegraph journalist Adonis Storr on X, the Leeds boss has been speaking on his aims for the next few years at Elland Road.

“We can’t overtake clubs like Man City and Arsenal in just a few years with individual quality. But we have to go year to year," he said.

"You have to first focus on the top half then one day Europe. I am more focused on the day to day but you also have to have a long term clear vision where you’re heading towards.”

In fact, you only need to look at Leeds' transfer work so far this summer to see Farke's long-term vision for his team.

How Leeds are getting transfer balance spot on

Whilst avid Football Manager players might tell you that simply signing loads of five-star wonderkids is the way to ensure long-term success for your team, the reality is actually the opposite in real life.

Yes of course, there have been some very successful teams built around youth, but for the most part, the best sides have one key ingredient: balance.

There's the young, raw and unpredictable talents to get fans off their seats, but they're supported by a veteran guard who've been their and worn the t-shirt, blended in with those in their mid-20s and in the prime of their careers.

Farke, clearly, understands this, as the two signings he's made so far this summer shows in Harry Wilson and Tarik Muharemovic.

In Wilson, he adds a proven Premier League star on a bargain deal, who can operate in a number of different positions and should still have plenty of good years ahead of him.

Then in Muharemovic, he's signed a central defender that looks every bit of a player with the potential of being a decade-long presence in the heart of the Leeds backline, setting Leeds up for instant and long-term success with him.

Should Trafford complete his move, then Leeds will have sorted their goalkeeper position out for the long-term as well; quality, impactful, long and short-term additions to keep the Whites steadily moving forward.

Farke isn't going crazy in the market, trying to sign players who can win Leeds the Premier League next season - he knows that's extremely unlikely to happen.

But what he is doing is slowly continuing to improve his team, and building with that long-term, patient Elland Road vision in mind, and that will keep Leeds in very safe hands with him so long as he's in charge.