Former Liverpool manager tipped to replace Daniel Farke at Leeds United | OneFootball

Leeds Enter Critical Phase as Farke Faces Mounting Pressure

Leeds United stand at a crossroads that feels both familiar and profoundly unsettling. A club that has lived through enough managerial churn to last a generation once again finds itself wrestling with uncertainty, hesitation and the looming threat of decisive action. Five defeats in six Premier League matches have dragged Leeds into the relegation zone, and the pressure on Daniel Farke has grown accordingly. What was once a slow burn of concern has become an unavoidable conversation.

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TeamTalk report that one of the leading candidates to succeed Farke, Bo Svensson, has effectively ruled himself out. The Dane had emerged as a favourite for the role, but Berliner Zeitung explain he is taking a “relaxed approach” to returning to management, in part because he remains on the payroll of Union Berlin following his dismissal in December 2024. Accepting a new job would require him to forgo those payments, leading to his decision to turn down recent offers from Rangers and Union Saint Gilloise. For Leeds, it removes a potentially attractive and tactically assured option at a moment when alternatives are narrowing.

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Rising Strains on Farke’s Tenure

Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa intensified scrutiny. A reported meeting among 49ers Enterprises representatives to discuss the manager’s future has not been confirmed, but the direction of travel feels unmistakable. Leeds now face Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in their next three fixtures. Farke has claimed that injuries, a demanding schedule and performance metrics give him confidence results will improve. Yet privately, he must recognise that the margins are now perilously slim.

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He has been here before. November collapses have shaped his career, particularly at Norwich, where a poor run culminated in his dismissal. Leeds cannot afford history to rhyme so closely.

Rodgers Emerges as Leading Candidate

With Svensson stepping aside, TeamTalk indicate the focus has shifted firmly to Brendan Rodgers. At 52, and available since leaving Celtic, Rodgers is understood to be Leeds’ preferred option should the club proceed with a change. Sources cited in the report confirm he is interested in the role, and his record, particularly at Leicester, positions him as a coach capable of stabilising clubs caught between aspiration and anxiety.

Rodgers brings structure, clarity and an emphasis on technical discipline. He has worked with squads short on confidence and found ways to reassert control. It is little surprise that Leeds consider him the leading candidate. For the 49ers, the decision is stark: retain faith in Farke’s vision or pivot to someone whose Premier League track record appears better suited to the battle ahead.

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Decision Approaches as Fixtures Harden

Christmas is four weeks away, and Leeds’ situation could look dramatically different by then. The club’s hierarchy must evaluate whether the trends of recent weeks represent a temporary dip or a lasting problem. What is clear is that the Premier League offers little time for hesitation. Leeds need direction, purpose and results, and they need them immediately.

By the time the festive fixtures arrive, Elland Road will either still be behind Farke or looking toward a new figure placed in charge of protecting their top flight status.

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Five defeats in six is not a blip, and however much supporters respect what Farke achieved in promotion, the Premier League demands more than sentiment. The fear now is that waiting too long could make recovery impossible.

The report that Bo Svensson will not take the job will disappoint some fans who admired his work at Mainz and the identity he built there. His decision makes sense, but for Leeds supporters already anxious about the lack of options, it narrows the field at a difficult time.

The emergence of Brendan Rodgers as the top candidate will divide opinion. Some fans will welcome the experience, the structure and the immediate authority he brings. Others will question whether his style suits a squad built under a different blueprint. But crucially, he represents a coach who has worked in relegation battles, European chases and everything in between. That carries weight.

Supporters also understand that Farke is not a villain. Injuries have disrupted rhythm, early fixtures have been harsh and performances have not always matched results. But the Premier League is unforgiving, and fans know that patience evaporates quickly when survival is at stake.

Above all, Leeds supporters want decisiveness. Whether the club stands by Farke or appoints Rodgers, the next call must be firm and final. Uncertainty helps nobody. Elland Road needs belief, clarity and leadership, and fans are hoping the 49ers act with the conviction this moment demands.