After promotion from the Championship last season, many pundits and experts predicted that Leeds United would suffer an immediate return to the second tier.

Who could blame them for making such a call, especially after every club promoted to the Premier League in the two years prior suffered the exact same fate.

However, Daniel Farke masterminded the Whites to a campaign to remember, subsequently securing the club’s top-flight status with three games to spare.

Wins over Manchester United and Chelsea will no doubt remain the highlights for the fanbase, with the German handing the supporters memories to last a lifetime.

The 49-year-old will certainly want to build on such success in 2026/27, but he may require added investment from the hierarchy to make such achievements a regular occurrence at Elland Road.

Leeds could have £25m bid accepted for Premier League star

After Farke’s outcry for added investment from the 49ers in recent days, it appears as though the hierarchy are set to back the German in the transfer market.

Sunderland loanee Lutsharel Geertruida has recently been mentioned as one possible addition this summer, after it was confirmed he wouldn’t be staying at the Stadium of Light.

The versatile defender is a player who’s set to be in huge demand this summer, with Liverpool also said to be keen on securing a £25m deal for the Dutchman’s signature.

Geertruida isn’t the only player currently in the sights of the recruitment team at present, with Liverpool attacker Harvey Elliott another who’s being considered ahead of the window.

According to Football Insider, Leeds are set to rival newly-promoted Coventry City for the forward’s signature after his failed loan move at Aston Villa this term.

The report also states that the 23-year-old wants regular first-team minutes in 2026/27, after only making five league appearances under Unai Emery this year.

Arne Slot’s side are said to be willing to allow the Englishman to move away from Anfield this summer, leading to a £25m asking price being mooted for his services.

Why Elliott would be Farke’s answer to Raphinha at Leeds

After joining Leeds following relegation to the Championship in 2023, boss Farke was unfortunate not to work with star attacker Raphinha after his departure a year prior to his arrival.

The Brazilian international was one of the club’s shining lights during that previous stint in the Premier League - as seen by his tally of 17 goals and 12 assists in his 67 outings.

His ability to create magic out of nothing made him a fan-favourite at Elland Road - especially after scoring the goal that kept the Whites in the division back in 2021/22.

However, he was always destined for bigger things after his spell in England, subsequently joining Barcelona for £55m in the summer of 2022 - a club-record departure for Leeds.

Raphinha has since taken his career to the next level in Spain, winning the LaLiga title on three occasions and even being in the top five of the Ballon d’Or last season.

Farke must wish he were able to rely on a player with the same calibre as the Brazilian, but he could land his own version of the superstar with a move for Elliott this summer.

There’s no denying the Liverpool star isn’t on the same level as the Barcelona sensation, but he does possess a lot of similarities to the former Whites talisman.

The 23-year-old’s favoured position is off the right-hand side of the attack, often liking to cut inside onto his stronger left foot and cause havoc to the opposition.

He’s previously showcased he can find the top corner when running inside past defenders - as seen by his remarkable effort against Tottenham Hotspur back in 2024.

Elliott’s career may have stagnated this year, but he’s also previously demonstrated he’s capable of thriving at the very top of English football during his time at Anfield.

The youngster registered 15 combined goals and assists during the 2023/24 campaign, with Raphinha unable to better such a tally during his time at Elland Road.

Elliott, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Glen Johnson, managed to win Player of the Tournament during England’s U21 Euros triumph last summer - further highlighting his remarkable quality.

At just 23, the forward has bags of time to reach the next level in his professional career, with a move to Leeds able to hand him a chance to star on a consistent basis.

£25m for a player of his calibre and experience would be an excellent piece of business and one that could see the club make a hefty profit in the future.

Should he get anywhere near the levels of Raphinha in Yorkshire, there’s no reason why Farke’s side can’t make a push for a place in the top half next campaign.