Leeds United defender set to leave the club in the summer | OneFootball

Ruthless administrative decisions are being made behind the scenes at Elland Road. Manager Daniel Farke and the club’s ownership group are carefully evaluating their returning loanees, preparing to trim excess fat from the wage bill.

Chief among those expected to head for the exit door is Austrian international Max Wöber.

Despite arriving just over three years ago for a significant £11 million fee, the 28-year-old central defender is now set to leave the West Yorkshire club on a free transfer, a quiet and unexpected end to a highly disappointing chapter, according to SportsBoom.

Max Wöber has been a disaster at Leeds United

Wöber was brought to Elland Road in January 2023 from Red Bull Salzburg during the tenure of Jesse Marsch.

At the time, he was tasked with shoring up a leaky defense to help stave off Premier League relegation.

Unfortunately, his time in England never truly took off. Following the club’s drop to the Championship months later, Wöber controversially utilised a loan clause to jump ship, spending the 2023/24 season with Borussia Mönchengladbach rather than aiding the rebuild.

While Leeds eventually fought their way back to the top flight under Farke, Wöber became the forgotten man.

He was subsequently shipped out on another loan to Werder Bremen for the current 2025/26 campaign, but the move has been nothing short of a disaster

Defender could be allowed to leave for free

Max Wober of Austria looks on prior to the international friendly match against Serbia. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)

Plagued by chronic injury issues, the Austrian has managed a grand total of just 78 minutes across a single appearance for the Bundesliga outfit all season.

Wöber officially remains under contract until the summer of 2027, sitting on a lucrative deal that heavily outweighs his nonexistent on-pitch contributions.

Consequently, widespread reports indicate that the Whites are actively prepared to sanction a free transfer or mutually terminate his contract simply to clear his salary off the books.

Farke has worked tirelessly to build a unified, high-performing squad, and there is simply no room in his tactical system for a costly outcast who has continually struggled for form and fitness.