Leeds United have completed their sixth signing of the summer, with Anton Stach arriving to bolster Daniel Farke’s midfield from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
It’s fair to assume that Anton Stach will be a vital cog in Daniel Farke’s Leeds United machine in the coming season, and Leeds have also moved to around the £60 million-mark with their spending after Stach will cost £19.9 million if add-ons are met.
| Player | Transfer fee |
| Lukas Nmecha | Free |
| Jaka Bijol | £15m |
| Sebastiaan Bornauw | £5.1m |
| Gabriel Gudmundsson | £10.3m |
| Sean Longstaff | £12m (rising to £15m) |
| Anton Stach | £17.3m (rising to £19.9m) |
| Total | £59.7m (rising to £65.3m) |
Leeds’ remaining transfer budget after Stach will become clearer in due course. However, the strategy has been clear for a while now. Survival will be tough and Leeds are having to prioritise Premier League physicality in various guises.
That also means Leeds relying more on set-pieces in the top flight. They are also currently in the process of building a Premier League-ready Leeds team with experience.
The height of Leeds United’s 2025/26 squad compared to 2024/25
The move has made Stach one of Leeds’ most expensive signings ever, but he is a player who should add another layer to Leeds’ team, with his combative nature in midfield likely to be crucial.
The 6’4″ midfielder will add power and bite to a midfield which has already made Sean Longstaff a summer addition, with Stach now the second-tallest outfield player at the club alongside Joe Rodon and Darko Gyabi the only one taller.
Their signings so far are all gigantic bar one. They go as follows:
- 26-year-old Lukas Nmecha, 6’1″
- 26-year-old Sebastiaan Bornauw, 6’3″
- 26-year-old Jaka Bijol, 6’3″
- 26-year-old Gabriel Gudmundsson, 5’11”
- 27-year-old Sean Longstaff, 6’2″
- 26-year-old Anton Stach, 6’4″
Leeds have also lost some players from last season, with the likes of Max Wober, Junior Firpo, and Josuha Guilavogui all 6’0″ or taller. However, it got us thinking just how much taller Leeds have got since 2024/25.
Using Transfermarkt as the source for as many heights as possible in the interest of fairness, including every player to make a professional appearance for the club last season in any competition, Leeds’ squad last year was 181.9cm tall on average.
Using the current first-team squad listed on Transfermarkt, which does not include Sam Chambers or Harry Gray currently, Leeds’ squad is now 183.1cm tall.
Of course, Gyabi’s return from loan and the gigantic new additions have helped there, but it’s an increase of 1.2cm on average across the squad as a whole.
On paper, it may not seem that significant, but it means players like Ethan Ampadu (182cm and just shy of 6’0″) are now just below the average, having been considered average height last year.
The average height of a UK male is around 177.8cm tall, meaning Leeds are steadily building a team of giants — and with more yet to arrive.
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Stach adds more to Leeds than just strength and size
Stach will make for an instant improvement in Farke’s squad, and Leeds fans believe Stach is a ‘game changer’ as a signing.
Another key aspect is his versatility, given that Stach can be deployed in numerous roles by Farke next season, including defensive midfield and as a box-to-box midfielder or out-and-out centre-back.
DataMB outline how Stach excels in a number of areas, and it showcases how comfortable he is defending his box.
But it also depicts a player who will offer plenty in possession for Leeds as well. For a defensive midfielder, Stach is capable of a number of the key attributes you want from a player in his position.
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