Leeds United Champions League veteran makes 'top club' prediction amid Farke and 49ers praise

For the second time since 2020 Leeds survived the dreaded 'newly-promoted' season in the Premier League when Daniel Farke followed in the footsteps of Marcelo Bielsa. Farke's Leeds overcame a rough patch that led to serious pressure on the manager and his squad before achieving survival with games to spare. Their 14th-place finish arguably undersold how competitively they performed during the campaign.

For Eirik Bakke it was not just what he saw on the pitch that gave him a good feeling about the direction his old club are travelling in. The retired Norwegian midfielder spent seven years at Elland Road, racking up 195 appearances despite injury issues, and featured 37 times in European competition for the Whites. Fifteen of those games came in the Champions League, against sides like AC Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as Leeds made it all the way to the 2000/01 semi-finals.

Current club captain Ethan Ampadu admits it's his dream to help Leeds return to where they once were as a club, competing in Europe, and Farke has spoken of the need for ambition to take the project further after completing phase one with promotion and survival. Bakke can see a route to where the club wants to go.

Speaking to The Peacock News - a magazine produced by Leeds United Supporters Club of Scandinavia - Bakke said: "I really feel that Leeds are on the right track now. If you want to be good on the pitch, you also need to have a good organisation. Now the club has the right people in the right places. The system is professional, and I have great faith that we are on our way back as a top club."

Bakke enjoyed how Farke had Leeds playing upon their Premier League return and how that fed into the Elland Road atmosphere. There were numerous occasions when the old stadium was sold out and rocking under its floodlights - perhaps most notably when Chelsea were beaten up physically and dispatched 3-1.

"I like the way we play," he said. "I like the intensity I see on the pitch, and not least the enthusiasm I experience from the crowd. When we cheer for corners at Elland Road, then we are on the right track."

The goal now is to become an established Premier League side and though chairman Paraag Marathe and Ampadu have both stressed that it will take hard work to firstly survive a difficult second season, Bakke has faith in Farke and the owners, 49ers Enterprises.

Next season we have to establish ourselves among the top 10 teams in the Premier League," he said. "I am absolutely sure we will achieve that. I have a great appreciation for the way Daniel Farke leads. He is a nice guy who is absolutely right for Leeds as the club is now run by sensible and down-to-earth owners."