Farke’s dream Leeds XI for next season

Leeds United have completed the £34m signing of Sassuolo central defender Tarik Muharemovic, who has become their second addition of the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old centre-back has replaced Pascal Struijk as the left-footed defender for Daniel Farke‘s backline, after the Dutchman joined Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion for £20m.

Harry Wilson was the first signing made by the Whites shortly after the end of his contract with Fulham, joining on a free transfer after he scored ten goals in the Premier League last season.

Muharemovic and the Welshman may not be the only signings added to the squad this summer, though, and there could be plenty more work to be done to build Farke’s dream starting line-up.

Goalkeeper and defence

Leeds are already set to bolster their backline with the signing of Muharemovic, and they do not need to replace their starting full-backs, as Jayden Bogle and Gabriel Gudmundsson locked down their positions last term.

The Whites do, however, need to find a new number one goalkeeper after Karl Darlow opted to turn down a new contract at Elland Road to go and be a back-up to Senne Lammens at Manchester United.

Talks are ongoing over a potential deal to bring Manchester City shot-stopper James Trafford to Elland Road, in a move that could cost the club £40m.

The England international kept eight clean sheets in 17 matches for City last term, winning the League Cup and the FA Cup, and could be a terrific addition to Farke’s squad to be his long-term number one.

Should the German opt to go back to his favoured 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, this move could leave him with a backline of Trafford, Bogle, Joe Rodon, Muharemovic, and Gudmundsson.

Midfield set-up

It has been well reported that Leeds are interested in adding Southampton star Shea Charles to their midfield ranks, and they are edging closer to a deal for the £25m star.

The Northern Ireland international has only played one top-flight match in his career, though, and it remains to be seen if he would be a better option than Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, or Ao Tanaka, for example, in the middle of the park.

One signing for the midfield that would improve the starting line-up for next season, though, would be Julian Brandt, as the club continue talks with the free agent playmaker after his exit from Borussia Dortmund.

He would arrive as a better option than Brenden Aaronson in the number ten position, after scoring three more goals and creating more xA for his teammates at league level in the 2025/26 campaign.

Brandt would, therefore, be an exciting addition to the squad and could complete a midfield three, whether it is in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, of himself, Ampadu, and Stach.

Forward options

Wilson has already been brought in to bolster Farke’s options on the right wing and Noah Okafor could continue as a starter on the left flank after he scored eight goals in his debut season at Elland Road.

Whilst this may come as a surprising suggestion to most, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one player who could be replaced in this dream starting line-up for next season.

If Calvert-Lewin is unable to sustain his goalscoring levels from the 2025/26 campaign, as his career record suggests, then the Whites may need another capable number nine who is able to step in and deliver on a regular basis.

Leeds have been linked with an interest in Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda, who is valued at £30m, and he could join as an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin for Farke, given his form last term.

The Japan international, who scored two goals in four games at the World Cup, racked up 25 goals in 31 matches in the Eredivisie last term, outperforming his xG of 18.93.

These statistics suggest that he could offer even more consistency and quality in front of goal than Calvert-Lewin, who scored 14 goals from 15.81 xG in the Premier League for Leeds.

Splashing £30m on Ueda could be the final piece of the puzzle for the Whites in building their dream starting line-up for next season, in what could be a £104m splurge on Ueda, Muharemovic, and Trafford, alongside free agent signings of Wilson and Brandt.

It would then be down to that team, along with depth options within the wide squad, to kick on and push to qualify for a European competition.