Do not confuse Leeds United's 'exciting potential' with proven pedigree, says Daniel Farke

Having lost last season's Championship play-off final, the Whites are many people's favourites to win the division outright in 2024-25, credentials which will be further tested at Sunderland on Friday night.

But most of the money reinvested after the sales of Georgrinio Rutter, Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville has gone on young players and players unproven in English senior football.

Isaac Schmidt, Ao Tanaka and Largie Ramazani had never played in English first-team football when they joined Leeds this summer. Academy graduate Mateo Joseph has become the regular centre-forward having not started a Championship game before this season.

"We have an exciting group and we have lots of potential and I'm pretty pleased with how Largie develops, how Brenden (Aaronson) has done and what Mateo gives us with his workload but you can't predict they will keep developing at this pace," warned Farke.

"Tanaka has more or less made his first steps in English football, Joe Rothwell's been involved in many minutes for the first time in ages. So I think it would be unfair to put the burden of big favourites in this league on their shoulders.

"We have a good side, a side capable of achieving something, with potential and a good group. I believe in this group and once we work with it and can develop them we can be right there in the mix but it would be unfair to give us the label of big favourites.

"When you have finished just experienced end products in your group, then you can speak about having to win every game. It would be unfair to do that to this group."