As the euphoria of Leeds United’s promotion celebrations fades, all attention has shifted to the final day of the Championship title chase. Both Burnley and Leeds can reflect with pride on outstanding campaigns, each accumulating 97 points over 45 matches.
Despite identical point totals, Daniel Farke’s side boast a superior goal difference of +64 compared to Burnley’s +51, a margin that could ultimately decide the trophy. The Leeds manager will be eager to see the Championship trophy draped in the club’s white, yellow and blue colours.
Tribute from a Former Protégé
Following Leeds’s promotion confirmation, several stars sent their congratulations, among them Erling Haaland. Yet perhaps the most heartfelt message arrived privately from Marcus Thuram, whom Farke coached at Borussia Mönchengladbach. Having nurtured Thuram’s talent early on, Farke witnessed his transformation into a world-class striker.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference at the end of the season, Farke recalled: “Marcus was a great talent. He has everything and has developed into a world-class striker. He was one of the first to send his congratulations and expressed how much Leeds deserved this achievement.”
Looking Ahead to the Premier League
With promotion secured, Farke is already plotting for the top flight. Joel Piroe has emerged as a key figure up front, but the club’s new ownership group—often dubbed the “49ers”—is poised to inject around £100 million into the summer transfer budget. A marquee signing of Thuram’s calibre could be the final piece for sustained success.
Leeds have also been linked with promising youngsters such as Vladyslav Vanat, though replicating the impact of proven forwards like Thuram—or indeed a player of Andriy Shevchenko’s stature—represents a significant challenge.
Thuram’s Latest Showcase
On the continental stage, Thuram underlined his class by producing a sublime flicked goal for Inter Milan in a 3-3 Champions League draw with Barcelona. Farke was quick to praise the strike, quipping that while he offers Thuram plenty of compliments (and occasional jibes), all credit for such moments belongs to the player and his family.
