Karl Darlow could leave if the club bring in a new man

Leeds United’s Championship season is far from over, with the club preparing for a two-legged play-off semi-final against one of Daniel Farke’s old clubs, Norwich City.

Despite picking up 90 points in the regular season, which would have seen them automatically promoted in almost any other season, a late-season collapse from the All Whites saw them drop out of the top two at the death.

Indeed, their form entering the Play-Offs is poor and they have never been promoted by this method.

Leeds could be in the market for a new goalkeeper

Farke and his backroom staff will therefore have to work wonders to get the team ready for two more games, with the possibility of a third and final game to seal their fate one way or the other.

Whether they go up or not, there has to be some improvement in the squad.

One area they seem to be looking at, according to Aftonbladet, is in the goalkeeping department, and Rotherham United’s Viktor Johansson’s name has come up.

In the 46 games of the 2023/24 Championship regular season, Illan Meslier scored just 43 goals – bettered only by Leicester’s 41.

On that basis, it seems strange why the club might look at goalkeepers unless they feel a third custodian is needed or want to replace back-up goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Paul Robinson, himself a former goalkeeper at Elland Road, believes the latter scenario could be the case.

“With a Sweden cap, he (Johansson) is a decent goalkeeper, but I don’t think he’s at Meslier’s level.,” he said.

“If they sign him as competition for him, then maybe there are questions about Karl Darlow’s future if he stays at number two.”

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With just over two months between the end of the play-offs and the start of pre-season, clearly the powers that be at Leeds need to make a decision one way or another quickly.

The last thing Farke needs after steadying the ship is another haphazard start to the campaign like last season.