Left-back Bard nears loan move but uncertainty over Leeds attackpublished at 09:40 BST
09:40 BST
Nizaar Kinsella Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Leeds United are closing on an an initial loan deal for Nice defender Melvin Bard.
The Whites will pay an initial 1m euros, with an option to make the deal permanent for a further 5m euros at the end of the season.
Left-back Bard, 25, has made nearly 200 appearances for Nice since joining the French club in 2021.
Meanwhile, there is uncertainty around the Elland Road side's attack, with Willy Gnonto in Italy completing a move to Fiorentina.
The initial loan deal for the Italian to return to Serie A was contingent on Leeds finding a replacement, but a move for Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk was successfully hijacked by Tottenham.
'Cover for Calvert-Lewin' - fans on what Leeds still need to dopublished at 07:38 BST
07:38 BST
Image source, Getty Images
We asked you what transfer business Leeds need to complete before Tuesday's 23:00 BST deadline.
Here are some of your comments:
Matthew: A backup goalkeeper and a centre-forward are a must. A left-back and a creative attacking midfielder would be a bonus.
Andrew: I think the priority has to be a striker - and a proven one too - whatever the cost. If Calvert-Lewin is injured, we are completely up the creek. Nmecha is OK as a substitute but not as a starter. We probably need a left-back too, unless we trust in youth. If Perri goes, we also need a decent backup goalkeeper.
Mogsy: Another striker is essential to give Calvert-Lewin some real competition and quality backup. Last season he was almost injury free, but if he gets injured this season we may have problems. We also need another goalkeeper and left-back, but otherwise it looks a strong squad.
Howard: My biggest concern is Dominic Calvert-Lewin missing a significant number of games. Lukas Nmecha is a valuable squad player and can play across the front line, however another centre forward to challenge and cover him is a priority.
Scotty: Leeds still need a forward or a number ten, someone like Matheus Cunha, who can play across the front, or a crafty centre midfielder, who can open the door so to speak. Preference would be the former as we are one injury away from anxiety. A left full-back/wing-back should be on the want list too. As for a goalkeeper to be our number two, Lucas Perri is capable enough for that so bringing in someone else only makes sense if we can't make it work with him.
Follow all the twists and turns of deadline daypublished at 07:08 BST
07:08 BST
Tuesday is the final chance of the summer for your Premier League team to do transfer business.
The window closes at 23:00 BST, so teams - and fans - could be in for a late-night transfer scramble.
It has already been a busy window, but whether it turns out to be a day of transfer action or a pretty quiet one for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.
Frank: Leeds need to make the most of their home games. They were paying Brentford too much respect. Brentford are a good side but Leeds are at home and they should be doing better, especially with the number of shots on target.
Andrew: Would have taken a point before the game and definitely at half-time. But we can make changes to turn a game and bring on Premier League quality replacements. The stronger squad now will hopefully mean we can push on.
Neil: A good result but, to be honest, we should have been out of sight by half-time. They were a lot better than us.
David: Did well to come back. Brentford must be wondering how they didn't win.
Brentford fans:
Kev: Should have put this one to bed in the first hour. Played some super football but lacked ruthlessness.
Phil: I remember when we used to jokingly sing "we're the Barcelona of the lower leagues". Now we're the Barcelona of the Premier League.
Sampson: Terrible. Should have won by a lot more. Poor finishing from us.
Paul: Totally dictated the first half and should have had the game won by half-time. VAR and ref let us down with the definite penalty.
Given credits Farke's second-half tactical shift in Brentford drawpublished at 08:46 BST 31 August
08:46 BST 31 August
Media caption,
Match of the Day pundit Shay Given commends Leeds United's second-half tactical shift after Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck late to salvage a 1-1 draw with Brentford.
Brentford draw 'probably a fair result' - Jamespublished at 06:57 BST 31 August
06:57 BST 31 August
Media caption,
Leeds United winger Dan James says the draw against Brentford was "probably a fair result" given the Bees' strength in the opening half and Leeds' dominance in the second.
"First half, they were definitely the better team and we were half a yard off it," James told BBC Radio Leeds. "But in the second half we showed what we should have done from the start.
"We got the goal quite late, but from then on there was only one team that was going to score the next goal. Unfortunately we could't do that.
"It's probably a fair result. It was two teams in a good place.
Leeds 1-1 Brentford: What Farke saidpublished at 17:31 BST 30 August
17:31 BST 30 August
Media caption,
Leeds boss Daniel Farke speaking to BBC Sport: "I am proud of my players and I have to give them lots of compliments. We faced a red-hot form Brentford side.
"I am proud of my players as I asked a lot of them today, we changed formation for the second half, got control and lost control, changed the formation again and got the goal and pushed for the winner.
"A brilliant, excellent Brentford side and pleased to have reduced them to just one goal and we found a way back into the game.
"You can have an idea but all credit to the players to go and deliver that.
"To play a really good long season it is good for the confidence and good for the mood - we know we can be flexible and tweak things and change the formation even during the game a few times to find the solution.
"The players are buying in and ready to deliver. In the end it was a precious point."
Leeds United remain unbeaten in their last nine home league games against Brentford, although each of the last four meetings between the two sides at Elland Road have finished level.
Leeds United haven't lost their opening home league game of the season in any of the last 10 campaigns since a 1-2 loss to Birmingham City in 2016-17.
Analysis: Hosts show battling qualitiespublished at 16:04 BST 30 August
16:04 BST 30 August
Gary Rose BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
At half-time in this game pretty much every Leeds fan watching would have been thinking it was a matter of not whether Brentford would win, but how many goals they would win by.
The hosts were a distant second best in a first half where they failed to create a single meaningful opportunity, and will have been relieved to have been just one goal down at the break.
But, to their credit, Daniel Farke's side showed great resolve and battling qualities to not just deal with the near constant wave of Brentford attacks, but eventually turn the game in their favour.
By the final couple of minutes they arguably looked the side most likely to grab a winner, but ultimately this will be viewed as a point gained given how much better Brentford had been for around an hour of this match.
With an opening-game win against Nottingham Forest followed by this display full of fight, Leeds fans will be encouraged by their side's start to the season.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Brighton" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Sunderland match", for example.
Sutton's predictions: Leeds v Brentfordpublished at 11:00 BST 30 August
11:00 BST 30 August
Leeds and Daniel Farke proved loads of people wrong last season. But they were pretty cagey against Nottingham Forest last week in the Premier League.
They weren't very creative but then they got the job done against them in the EFL Cup in midweek and because of that I can't see Leeds losing.
Brentford are off to an absolute flyer - smashing Tottenham then hitting Birmingham for six or seven. They've started well with all the talk about their new midfielder Mamadou Sangare who now looks a bargain.
I think this is going to be really tight because Brentford like to play on the counter-attack.
Leeds sign goalkeeper Zetterer as Perri joins Torinopublished at 21:34 BST 29 August
21:34 BST 29 August
Image source, Getty Images
Leeds United have signed goalkeeper Michael Zetterer from Eintracht Frankfurt on a three-year deal after Lucas Perri joined Serie A side Torino on a season-long loan.
Zetterer, 31, played the majority of Frankfurt's matches in 2025-26 after injury to their first-choice keeper Kaua Santos, and moves to Elland Road as back-up to James Trafford.
Joining for an undisclosed fee, he becomes the Whites' fifth signing of the transfer window after the arrivals of Trafford, midfielder Harry Wilson and defenders Tarik Muharemovic and Nico Elvedi.
"I feel very happy to be here now," Zetterer said. "Leeds showed me everything. It was good conversations with everybody, so I'm very happy."
Perri, 28, made 16 appearances in the Premier League last season after joining Leeds last summer.
The loan deal with Torino includes an option to buy.
Leeds v Brentford: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 12:58 BST 29 August
12:58 BST 29 August
Matt Jones BBC Sport journalist
Elland Road will be abuzz with anticipation as Leeds United host Brentford on Sunday (14:00 BST) in a showdown between two sides that have had excellent starts to the new campaign.
Leeds won their opening two fixtures – both at Nottingham Forest, in the Premier League (1-0) and then the Carabao Cup (2-0) – adding further momentum to some summer transfers that have got pulses racing in West Yorkshire.
Brentford also have two wins from two, albeit they have earned their victories in more spectacular style. They smashed Tottenham 3-0 in their Premier League opener before running riot at Birmingham City in the EFL Cup to win 6-1.
In-form duo set for engaging duel
Last season, both Leeds and Brentford enjoyed fine campaigns, with their physical play vital to their success. So unsurprisingly, in the opening weekend of the season, the two teams to win the most duels were Leeds with 66 and Brentford with 62.
Although Brentford, in ninth, finished ahead of Leeds, who were 14th, last term, since December there has not been much between the two teams at all.
Since the start of December 2025, only five teams have won more points in the Premier League than the 39 accrued by Leeds United, while only three sides have won more points on home soil than the Whites in that time, with 24. Brentford have amassed a total of 37 points in the same time frame.
After two away games to start the season, there will be an eagerness among the Leeds fans to get their campaign up and running on home soil, especially with some new faces among a bolstered squad.
New goalkeeper James Trafford, who arrived in a £45m transfer from Manchester City, has impressed with two clean sheets. He has made five saves across his first two matches, while Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic, a £34m arrival from Sassuolo, has also won supporters over quickly.
Harry Wilson also made the move to Leeds this summer, and he won't mind the sight of Brentford's red and white stripes on Sunday. There is no club he has scored against more often than the Bees, with four goals in the Premier League.
Brilliant Bees off to a flier
Even if Wilson were to net, Brentford would still fancy their chances of outgunning Leeds given their start to the campaign.
Keith Andrews' side should have won by more in their 3-0 victory over Spurs – Igor Thiago missed a penalty in that encounter – while against Birmingham, their Premier League class was clear as they rattled in six.
In what have been two very different types of tests so far, Brentford have been completely dominant.
The positive intent throughout the side was summed up by the fact that seven players had shots against Spurs. They also compiled an xG of 3.96 on the day, their most in a Premier League game since January 2025 against Southampton.
The win also allowed Brentford to show off their multidimensional attacking threat. In the build-up to their first goal, the Bees put together 15 passes, while they also had more shots from set pieces, with 14, than any other team in the division.
Farke on Gruev, transfers and 'unstoppable bulldozer' Brentfordpublished at 19:24 BST 28 August
19:24 BST 28 August
Sophie Trifonoff BBC Sport journalist
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Brentford at Elland Road (kick-off 14:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
On the injuries in the squad, Farke said: "It's [Ilia] Gruev's second week training with the team so he's edging closer and closer. Also some good news was Gudmundsson and Gnonto - as it stands they will join us this afternoon [in training] for the first time after their injuries. We have to wait to see how their bodies reacts. Obviously, we just have two days but definitely good news."
On the likelihood of Gruev playing on Sunday, he said: "He has missed more or less four months without playing a game so we have to make a decision. Physically, he is edging closer and closer. He also looks good on the training pitch. If I need him, I would have no problems to call him to the squad. We have now, thank god, a situation where we don't have to rush Ilia."
On the club's transfer window so far, he said: "We are in a good position. Very pleased with our window so far. We will stay aware because the feeling is that we want to do something more. We're definitely in a good place. I like our window so far and all our signings are spot on. Early signs are great but we have a long season."
On the goalkeeping situation, he confirmed Lucas Perri is nearing a loan exit, which was reported earlier on this page, with Leeds set to bring in Michael Zetterer from Eintracht Frankfurt. Farke said: "It's correct that we have allowed Lucas Perri to travel and it's correct that we're pretty close to bringing someone in, but I only want to speak about this once it has been confirmed."
The Leeds boss also said he was "cautiously optimistic" of further new arrivals before the transfer window closes next Tuesday.
On the options for the number nine role, Farke said Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha have a "pretty similar" profile but on his options he said he is "happy with this".
Farke described Sunday's opponents Brentford as the "standout" team of the season and "an unstoppable bulldozer". He added that his side will have to be at their very best to get three points.
Calvert-Lewin wants Wilson dynamic to 'click' quicklypublished at 16:14 BST 28 August
16:14 BST 28 August
Media caption,
Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is excited about forging a partnership with summer signing Harry Wilson.
"We've definitely strengthened the squad with some good recruits," the former Everton forward said. "The new boys that have come in have settled in really well, really quickly and I think that is credit to the group that we've got and the culture that we've built here and they seem to be doing really well so far and, you know, long may continue, we're excited."
When asked by BBC Radio Leeds about working with Welsh international Wilson, 29-year-old Calvert-Lewin replied: "I think he brings Premier League experience, a very good left foot, delivery and he brings quality further up the pitch.
"He's someone that likes to get on the ball and get the ball onto his left foot so for me it's a different dynamic, something that I've got to get used to also and he's got to get used to my game but we're fast learners and hopefully we do it in a short space of time.
"He's someone that got a lot of goals last year. He got himself into double figures, so he likes to get himself in the box and also contribute with goals and assists, which is great for the team and like I said before, it's important that we learn each other's game quickly and where each other likes to be and it'll click."
🎧 Transfers latest and Brentford previewpublished at 12:00 BST 28 August
12:00 BST 28 August
A fresh episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast is now available on BBC Sounds.
The Whites return to Elland Road as they face Brentford in the first home game of the season on Sunday. Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Simon Rix look ahead to that match and discuss the latest Leeds transfer news.
Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.
Image source, Getty Images
