Top candidate cool on claims he could replace Farke at Leeds as huge name takes centre stage | OneFootball

Leeds United’s hopes of appointing Bo Svensson as a possible successor to Daniel Farke have taken a big nosedive after the Dane ruled himself out of the running – and we understand that leaves 49ers Enterprises with just one name in the frame were the axe to fall at Elland Road.

The Whites have lost five of their last six Premier League games to tumble down the table and now find themselves in the relegation zone. With a difficult run of games on the horizon – they face Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in their next three – the heat is now very much being turned up on Farke’s future as Leeds United manager.

And with Sunday’s loss to Aston Villa raising further questions on the manager, Danish coach, Svensson, had emerged as one of the favourites to take over from Farke were the German to be removed from his job.

Indeed, in the wake of that defeat, a strong, but unconfirmed report on Wednesday claimed the 49ers Enterprises were ‘holding a meeting’ to discuss the Leeds manager’s future.

But despite claiming just four points from the last 21 available, it seems Farke will not be replaced in the dugout by Svensson.

That’s according to Berliner Zeitung, which claims the 46-year-old is not in a hurry to return to management any time soon, as he is still being paid by Bundesliga side Union Berlin, who sacked him in December 2024, just six months into his role.

And with the terms of his pay-off understood to mean he would need to forgo those payments were he to accept another job, it’s been claimed that Svensson is taking a ‘relaxed approach’ to taking his next job and appears in no hurry, having recently turned down the managerial positions at Rangers and Union Saint-Gilloise.

Both sides made big pushes for the Dane, but were unable to meet his financial demands, nor his wish to bring with him his own assistant coaches.

Next Leeds manager: Top target ready to replace Farke

Meanwhile, sources have confirmed to our correspondent Fraser Fletcher that Farke is at serious risk of being sacked, with Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Villa heaping on the pressure – and we understand the Whites have already identified their top target to replace him in Brendan Rodgers.

And we can reveal that Rodgers, a free agent since leaving Celtic, heads Leeds’ manager shortlist, with his proven ability to organise mid-table Premier League sides making him an obvious fit.

Crucially, sources have suggested that the 52-year-old, who counts Leicester and Liverpool among his former clubs, would be interested in the role.

Farke himself remains publicly defiant, pointing to injuries, a demanding fixture list and the squad’s underlying metrics as evidence that results will turn.

Privately, he knows the margin for error has vanished. Leeds cannot afford another November like the one in 2021 with Norwich, which ended with him being sacked.

For 49ers Enterprises, the decision is binary and brutal: back the architect of promotion one final time or accept that the Premier League demands a different profile.

Christmas is four weeks away. By then, Leeds will either still have  Farke – or have a new man at the helm trusted to preserve their top-flight status.

Whatever happens next with Farke, Leeds have been warned their season is heading only one way – towards relegation – after claims made by both Gary Neville and Roy Keane.

On the transfer front, Leeds have been credited with an interest in a free-scoring Union Saint-Gilloise striker shining in the Champions League – and with his likely price tag revealed by sources, the Whites have been told the team they will need to beat to get a deal over the line.

News of that link comes after reports in Spain dismantled Leeds’ chances of signing a little-seen Real Madrid frontman strongly tipped to leave in January.

With the Whites scoring just 11 times in their 12 Premier League games so far, it is easy to see where the Whites have fallen short. But reports in Spain are adamant Leeds don’t have a chance of landing the Real gem, with Xabi Alonso having made a final decision on the youngster.