Leeds United get underway in the Premier League this weekend, and former player and pundit Rio Ferdinand has given his prediction for the Whites this season.
The wait is almost over. The Premier League gets underway this weekend and Leeds United play at home to Everton on the Monday night.
It’s been a relatively positive summer for Daniel Farke’s side so far. Leeds United have signed seven new players but there remain several gaps in the side, particularly in attack.
Thankfully though, Farke was given a £150m transfer budget at Leeds United this summer and he has about half of that left. And ahead of the Everton game, it looks like Leeds could sign former Toffees forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
It’s reported that Calvert-Lewin has agreed a move to Leeds United after being released at Goodison Park earlier this summer, though whether he signs in time to feature on Monday remains to be seen, if not unlikely.
It’s a tough opening game for Leeds. Everton have enjoyed a relatively strong summer transfer window and the Toffees have just signed Jack Grealish on loan from Man City too.
- READ MORE: Rumoured Everton bid for Leeds United striker target rubbished as price tag slashed to £25.8m
Rio Ferdinand predicts where Leeds United will finish in the Premier League table
Posting on TikTok, Rio Ferdinand has given his prediction for where Leeds United will finish this season. And like many others will, he’s backed the Whites to finish in the bottom three, though he’s not backed Leeds to finish rock bottom, instead placing them in 19th with Leeds and Sunderland and Burnley all being relegated.
In the last two seasons, the promoted Championship teams have all been relegated at the first time of asking. Last season, Southampton amassed a lowly 12 points in the end, despite beating Leeds United in the Championship play-off final to earn promotion.
Ferdinand said: “I want Leeds to stay up, but I don’t think they’re going to be capable. All three teams that come up go down.”
The 49ers’ five-year plan for Leeds United
The 49ers have brought a new element of stability and ambition to the club. Under the previous owners, whilst Leeds United enjoyed success under manager Marcelo Bielsa, there was a sense that Leeds United weren’t really building something sustainable, whereas this time round, under the current owners, there is definitely a sense of sustainability.
Speaking earlier in the year, insider Graeme Bailey revealed the 49ers’ five-year plan for Leeds United. He explained that the owners are desperate to avoid relegation and to emulate Newcastle United upon their promotion back to the Premier League back in 2017.
Bailey said: “Leeds don’t want to be in the Championship at any point in the near future. Whereas arguably, a Burnley, a Sheffield United if they go up, I think they would both, no to do them a disservice, if they had another yo-yo season, it wouldn’t be the end of the world for them.
“It’s a different situation for Leeds United. Leeds United are here to really do what Newcastle did last time they came back up. In the next five years Leeds want to be in the top eight. They’re not coming up to go straight back down.”
For Leeds then, avoiding relegation is of the utmost importance next season, but it’s going to be tough, and the fact that Leeds United still have a lot of work to do in the transfer market suggests that it could be a slow start for Farke’s side, but we’ll find out a lot more about this new-look Leeds side on Monday when they play Everton. Kick-off is at 8pm.
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