00:00Now for Leeds United, a massive Premier League season is on the horizon with obviously the main objective to remain in the division.
00:08That's becoming incredibly tough in this modern era due to the financial implications of other sides and the difference,
00:17the golfing class of the financial constraints that affect the teams already in the Premier League and the teams that come up.
00:23I mean, it's a massive ask. Let's have a look at Leeds United in terms of where they are in pre-season.
00:30They've obviously had a few months to sort of regroup and go again, but the momentum has to be fairly high after their championship winning campaign
00:38and to ensure there's some new talent coming through the door.
00:43And obviously Daniel Farker, the echo around him near the end of last season was whether he was going to stay, that looks likely.
00:52And he obviously pointed out that there does need some recruits to take them to that next level,
00:57to take them to that bit of Premier League quality as well.
00:59And you do feel Ellen Road is going to play a massive part in keeping them up if they are to do so in terms of that home form that needs to continue.
01:08Now, Dan, our Yorkshire correspondent. Dan, what's your thoughts on where Leeds United are?
01:13Tell us a bit about the players who are signing new contracts, whether they've got their feet on the ground
01:18and how confident you are with them in terms of their preparation for this massive Premier League campaign.
01:23And, you know, it's certainly one that Leeds fans are excited for, but they will have in the back of their mind the incredible challenge that awaits them.
01:31Well, Charles, as you said, it has been a busy summer for Leeds United so far.
01:35Obviously, they've brought in a few new names to the club ahead of their return to the Premier League.
01:40And they've tied down a couple of their players as well, two new contracts, Dan James and Sam Byram.
01:46Of course, Dan James is a fan favourite, one of the club's wingers,
01:50who was a crucial player in last season's promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.
01:56And Sam Byram, of course, a boyhood Leeds United supporter.
01:59And also, that's quite an interesting one as well, because, of course, with Junior Firpo departing the club,
02:04who was one of the first-choice full-backs last season, with Sam Byram not always getting much of a look in because of Junior Firpo,
02:11could this be the season where he actually breaks into the team a little bit more?
02:14Or do Leeds actually need a bit more quality in those areas?
02:18Certainly, if they are to bring in any more new signings during this transfer window,
02:21I'd bet that full-back will be one of the areas that they look to strengthen.
02:27That's nothing against Sam Byram, but I just think they perhaps need some more in those departments as well.
02:31Of course, currently, the players are back for pre-season training.
02:34They're enjoying that, getting fit again in the warm weather.
02:37So, Leeds very much on the road to their return to the Premier League.
02:41Now, obviously, it's not going to be easy for them, because, let's be honest,
02:46the gap between the Premier League and the Championship is widening every season.
02:49We've seen in the last two seasons that every single promoted club has gone straight back down again.
02:55And even Leeds, who finished on 100 points last year, obviously so did Burnley,
02:58you know, you can't count on them because of that being shoe-ins to stay up.
03:04Yes, they're spending money, but perhaps it's going to need even more, I think, to stay up.
03:07Now, they have said, the owners and the board, that they will back Daniel Farker,
03:11and they've done that so far as well.
03:13But could it be argued that actually other teams, especially Sunderland,
03:16who, of course, went up by the playoffs, are actually having a better transfer window than Leeds United?
03:22At this point, certainly, they're spending a bit more money on the players they're bringing in.
03:26In fact, some of the players that Sunderland have brought in were actually Leeds United targets,
03:31including Habib Diara.
03:32What does that say about Leeds?
03:34Are Sunderland a more attractive club for these players?
03:36I mean, surely that Leeds won the championship, you'd think that they would perhaps be the better club to go to
03:43in terms of that point.
03:44But actually, as it turns out, Sunderland are doing all right.
03:47Or is it actually that they're paying above the odds, Sunderland, and Leeds perhaps not prepared to do that as much?
03:53You know, we live in a PSR world these days in football in this country.
03:57So are Leeds actually being a bit more shrewd with their business,
03:59and not wanting to be sold down the river in terms of spending too much on these players.
04:06It all depends on, of course, how they do when the season gets underway in mid-August.
04:10But, you know, they've brought in some quality additions so far to their team.
04:15And although it could be obvious that perhaps Sunderland needed it more,
04:17and that they were starting from a lower base than Leeds United were from the end of last season.
04:22But Leeds, of course, have lost players that they had on loan last season.
04:27You look at Mano Solomon, for example, who's now back at Tottenham Hotspur.
04:31He'll probably try to be vying for his place at White Hart Lane.
04:35So it's an interesting one.
04:36Pre-season, of course, is going well for Leeds,
04:38but do they perhaps need more in the transfer market?
04:40And what can make them a more attractive club?
