Leeds United £17m 'key signing' gets managerial vote of confidence as Aston Villa clash looms
Anton Stach has earned the backing of his Leeds United manager ahead of Sunday’s Premier League return.
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says a £17m summer signing has justified the club's faith in him and is already a key player for the Whites.
Anton Stach made the move from the Bundesliga to the Premier League in the summer, departing Hoffenheim for newly-promoted Leeds. Playing in the English top flight was central to Stach's dream of appearing at the 2026 World Cup with Germany, though he is yet to return to the national team picture since his move to England.
Adapting to the Premier League is rarely easy for any foreign import but Stach is being given every chance by Farke. Of their 11 league games to date, Stach has started in nine and come off the bench once. He was an unused substitute for the win over West Ham but had been struggling with a rib problem.
Farke is pleased with what he's seen of the 27-year-old, both on and off the pitch. Speaking to Sky Germany, Farke said: "Anton is a great guy, and we have complete faith in him, both as a player and as a person. By English standards, it wasn't a huge [transfer fee], but for us it was a relatively large sum, as it was a key summer signing. And he has absolutely justified our faith in him and has had a very solid season from the start. He's truly a key player for us."
The 6ft 4ins German got his first Premier League goal at Wolves, the same day as he claimed his first assist in English football. Since then he hasn't been able to find the net or create a goal for a team-mate but while Farke acknowledges how hard it is to settle into the English top flight, he's adamant Stach is establishing himself. He does, however, believe there is more to come from the central midfielder.
"It's always difficult for players – and you can see that with top players who come to the Premier League from other leagues – to perform at this level right away," said the manager. "Because the football, the physicality, and the intensity here in the Premier League are on a different level than, say, in the Bundesliga, La Liga, or Serie A. It's a different style of football, and you often need a bit of time. It's down to Anton's quality, but also his character, that he managed to establish himself so well and very early on and perform at a top level. He had a bit of a problem with a cracked rib and a broken finger, but I think the international break has done him a lot of good. I believe that if he continues to perform like this, he has every chance of being even more in the spotlight here. He's having a very, very good run for us and is developing fantastically. I think he's far from finished with his journey."