"Return of the PL King?".

On the 24th (Korean time), British 'TalkSport' reported that "taxes Mourinho, manager of Fenerbahçe, has a high possibility of returning to the English Premier League (PL)," stating, "The most likely team for now is Leeds United. Leeds has just been promoted and is likely preparing for the role of a globally recognized manager."

British 'Daily Mail' reported on the 23rd that "Leeds is considering the dismissal of manager Daniel Farke," noting, "It was immediately after leading a return to the Premier League after two years, but the club's leadership is questioning whether he is the right person to guide them to survival in the English Premier League."

Farke is regarded as one of the best managers in Championship history. He led Norwich City and Leeds United to three promotions and achieved over 90 points each season. This season, he has also accumulated 94 points with two games remaining.

Leeds secured second place in the league with a dominant 6-0 victory over Stoke City at Elland Road in the 44th round of the 2024-2025 Championship (second division) on the 22nd, accumulating 94 points. This ensured their direct promotion to the Premier League and successful return to the top division.

Leeds rose to the top spot for promotion after achieving a stable record of 7 wins, 5 draws, and 1 loss in the first 13 games, and then continued an unbeaten streak of 17 games (12 wins and 5 draws). Their attacking power was among the best in the league, recording 89 goals by the 44th round, surpassing second-place Norwich (67 goals) by over 20 goals.

The Championship is a league where a total of 24 teams compete, with the top two automatically promoted and the teams ranked 3rd to 6th entering playoffs for the last promotion spot. Leeds was 3rd last season and entered the playoffs but faced disappointment, losing 0-1 to Southampton. 'The Athletic' evaluated that this 'moment of disappointment' became a starting point for their rebound.

'The Athletic' reported, "On May 26, 2024, after missing promotion at Wembley, Leeds immediately held a 'night of awakening' instead of a celebration. Manager Daniel Farke comforted the tearful Ethan Ampadu, Archie Gray, and Georginio Rutter with the words 'come back ready.'"

It was highlighted, "From this point on, Ampadu transformed from just a player to a 'leader.'" In fact, he attended the bonus distribution meeting alone before the season began and requested that all players receive the same bonuses, regardless of their appearance in every game.

'The Athletic' explained, "From the start of the season, Leeds made 'promotion' their top priority. According to their financial report, Leeds had the second-highest salary 'expenditure' in the league, following Leicester City, and was expected to deliver corresponding results. However, due to their playoff loss, they failed to meet their goal, which was a painful moment for Farke as well."

'The Athletic' noted, "Nevertheless, the club did not dismiss Farke. The American investment firm '49ers Enterprises' acknowledged that he accumulated enough points for promotion throughout most of the season and instead praised his unwavering attitude and ability to lead the squad throughout the season," focusing on Farke's successes rather than failures.

The issue is that after achieving promotion, there are considerations about dismissing Farke. The fatal problem identified by the Leeds leadership regarding Farke is his performance in the Premier League. During the 2019-2020 season, he led Norwich to the bottom with only 21 points and was dismissed after just 11 games the following year. This record has reportedly tarnished the trust of the American owner group '49ers Enterprises,' according to Daily Mail.

Within the club, there is also pressure regarding this decision. Daily Mail reported, "Dismissing the manager who led them to promotion immediately could cause conflicts with fans. Therefore, the decision is likely to be made only if a replacement has been secured first."

Reports suggest that for candidates, they prefer unproven promising managers like 'Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth manager)' over established renowned coaches. In fact, right before hiring Farke, Leeds had requested the hiring of Iraola from Rayo Vallecano, but that request was denied.

Strengthening the squad for survival in the Premier League is also challenging. Just like Ipswich Town invested 107 billion won for promotion this season, Leeds also needs significant investment, but there is pressure to adhere to the profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR).

The media pointed out, "Due to the nature of PSR regulations reflecting three years of accounting data, Leeds, having spent two seasons in the Championship, relatively has lower 'revenue,' limiting their ability to secure transfer funds. They need to raise funds through player sales, but it remains uncertain whether they can sell for the desired price."

The club is currently also pushing for an expansion of Elland Road stadium. Although infrastructure investment amounts are excluded from PSR, this could also have significant implications for the club's finances. Thus, securing a renowned manager to generate interest becomes essential. This is why Mourinho has emerged as a strong candidate.

'TalkSport' emphasized, "Leeds is strongly wanting Mourinho as their manager. Due to their past experience of collapsing immediately after promotion, Leeds is looking to bring in a prestigious manager," and noted that, "Just like the Bournemouth case, they will hire a renowned manager to establish proper character. Mourinho also wants to return to the PL, so he would accept if an offer from Leeds comes."

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