Daniel Farke and the 49ers’ recruitment department have their work cut out to give Leeds United a fighting chance of survival in the Premier League next season.
The Whites can turn their attentions away from celebrating promotion and to ensuring they build a squad for Daniel Farke which is capable of surviving the drop and consolidating their status.
The riches of the Premier League should help Leeds United in avoiding the same mistakes of previous campaigns now, bringing with it the ability to compete with the majority of clubs in Europe — such is the lucrative nature of the TV money available to the 20 teams in England’s top tier.
Being savvy and prudent is key but they will have to splash the cash, or use the loan market smartly, but there also will be multiple free agents available that they could sign, particularly if they want to increase the amount of Premier League experience in the squad.
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Leeds supporters urge 49ers to sign Ben Davies from Spurs
Ben Davies has been on Leeds’ radar previously, and the versatile Spurs defender is a free agent this summer. One potential stumbling block includes Davies’ Spurs wages, which could be an issue.
However, England legend Gary Lineker has been blown away by Davies before, and many believe he still has plenty to offer at a high level for Spurs, Leeds, or someone else in the top flight.
Having arrived in North London via Swansea City, Davies has spent over a decade with Tottenham since 2014. He is someone many of the Leeds fanbase are keen to sign, with many reacting on Twitter/X to have their say on the list of Premier League free agents.
A further reply had plenty to say, stating: “Walker-Peters or Lamptey can play both Left back/right back, Coufal good back up option, Chris Mepham only 27 will do well with Welsh players, Ben Davies also good option for back line, Sarabia depending on wages.”
Kyle Walker-Peters is the other name that crops up a lot, with the current Southampton and former Spurs man another Leeds fans want. Another response read: “KWP, Ben me and Ben Davies for me.”
Another added: “Calvert-lewin if fit, doucoure, guess, Wilson, walker-peters, Davies, coufal and fabiansk all great options.”
Davies was again linked in January, amid various reports that the 49ers were pushing hard to sign the Spurs defender. Nothing concrete has materialised, but both Davies and Walker-Peters would improve the squad in a big way before even thinking of purchasing or loaning players.
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Ben Davies’ injury record has to be a concern for Leeds
BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy believes Davies is a manager’s dream and there is no doubting his application, experience, and know-how. Intangibles are required in a dressing room, and his leadership could be vital in a fight to survive.
However, the 32-year-old is on the decline and his availability has waned in recent seasons. In the last two seasons, he has failed to break the 30-game mark, having done so in six of the last seven campaigns prior to that.
| Team | Years | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Red cards |
| Swansea City | 2012-2014 | 85 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2014-2025 | 357 | 9 | 26 | 47 | 0 |
| Wales | 2012 | 94 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 0 |
His injury record is a worry, but Davies is still a player who could offer plenty to Leeds. His positional versatility by operating as either a left-back or centre-back would make him a useful utility man.
Not only that, but bedding him in would be simple, given that Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon, Karl Darlow, and Dan James are all Welsh international teammates of Davies. His recent worries with issues could be worth the risk in that sense as well.
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