Three ways Leeds United can get the best out of Anton Stach after €20m transfer confirmed

Leeds United’s sixth summer signing was officially announced on Tuesday morning with Anton Stach joining in a €20million deal from Hoffenheim. The 6ft 4ins midfielder put pen to paper on a four-year contract and has already been training with his new teammates in Germany ahead of two pre-season friendlies.

Stach was considered one of the Bundesliga’s best ball-winning midfielders last season but offers much more than just tackles and interceptions, with comparisons to Arsenal’s Declan Rice surfacing due to his physicality and ability to drive forward. The 26-year-old can operate across a number of different roles, with versatility another of his biggest strengths.

Daniel Farke now has five first-team options in midfield, with Stach and Sean Longstaff joining title-winning trio Ethan Ampadu, Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev in a strong group. And below, the YEP takes a look at three ways Leeds could line up in the middle of the park with their latest signing.

Solid double pivot

For the vast majority of his two years at Elland Road, Farke has deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation and Stach could comfortably make up part of that defensive midfield double pivot. In the above example, he sits alongside club captain Ampadu in what, on paper at least, is a really solid pairing to sit in front of the defence and keep things tight in the area opponents are likely to hurt them most.

Leeds will come up against superior opposition more often than not next season and the combination of Stach and Ampadu would go a long way to shoring things up defensively, while also improving the physicality that has become such a point of focus this summer. While it also allows for an attacking No.10 like Aaronson, however, it does take something away from Farke’s side going forward, given the likes of Tanaka and Joe Rothwell were in that role last season.

Midfield anchor

Interestingly, Farke opted for a 4-3-3 formation during Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Manchester United in Stockholm and if that tweak remains, Stach can also operate as the sole defensive midfielder. A 6ft 4ins frame and brilliant ability to get round the pitch were factors in his reputation as an incredible ball-winner last season, and that should translate well even with the pace of Premier League football.

Stach is also an astute reader of the game and with him sitting deep, Farke can find balance in two more attacking options with the forward-thinking legs of Longstaff and technical quality of Tanaka. Ampadu’s leadership would be a huge miss, however, and leaving the club captain out would be no simple decision.

Box-to-box energy

Fortunately for Farke, his new signing can operate further forward just as comfortably and the above example is Leeds’ midfield as its most physical. Ampadu is tasked with protecting the defence, as he’s done so well for two years, while Stach and Longstaff are given the freedom to drive forward, join the front three and contribute with goals or assists.

Stach and Longstaff should also both have the legs to ensure they aren’t both caught too far upfield, although any lapse would be more devastatingly punished than in the Championship. This trio would be deployed with the plan to overrun opposition midfields but some might argue there is a lack of technical nous, particularly when compared to line-ups involving Tanaka.