Leeds United play host to Stoke City in the Championship at Elland Road on Tuesday as they go in search of a first win in three competitive matches.

The Whites were held to a 1-1 draw by Huddersfield away from home last time out in the second tier, which came after a 3-2 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup. The weekend’s result allowed Ipswich Town to move above them in the table and into second place, but despite dropping out of the automatic promotion places, for now, the 49ers are reportedly keen to tie down one of their vital figures to a new deal.

Daniel Farke contract update

According to Football Insider, the club will make giving head coach Daniel Farke an improved contract a priority move at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Reporter Wayne Veysey claims that the former Norwich City tactician has made a top impression on the board, who are now plotting a major summer agreement.

He is set for a “huge” pay rise as the 49ers will present him with a bumper new contract should Leeds be promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

However, the outlet adds that the Yorkshire-based outfit could offer Farke, whose current deal expires in the summer of 2027, fresh terms even if they fail to go up, which shows how impressive he has been to those running the club this term.

How good has Farke been this season?

Having been relegated from the top-flight last term, Leeds gutted their squad of high-earners as the likes of Marc Roca, Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Rasmus Kristensen, Jack Harrison, and Robin Koch, among others, moved on either permanently or on loan.

Despite the huge turnover in the squad and the switch from Premier League to Championship football, Farke quickly put together a winning machine at Elland Road. Leeds have won 22 of their 35 league matches during the 2023/24 campaign to date, and sit two points off the automatic promotion places as it stands.

This shows that the German head coach, who won two Championship titles with Norwich, has been effective in deploying a side that can consistently win games at that level.

Farke has also showcased his ability to bring through and develop young talent as both Archie Gray and Mateo Joseph have emerged as first-team options, with perhaps the only criticism fans have to do with his use of substitutions.

As you can see in the table above, 17-year-old Gray has nailed down a place as a regular starter for Leeds in a promotion-push season, despite his age and inexperience heading into the campaign.

He has been linked with Premier League giants Liverpool and is reportedly valued at up to £50m, which is thanks to Farke’s faith in the young whiz, who may not have been given an opportunity under other managers who favour experience.

Overall, tying the head coach down to a new contract would be a shrewd move as his results on the pitch and development of young talent suggest that he could be a fantastic manager for the club for many more years to come, regardless of what division they find themselves in this summer.