Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has stressed that any remaining transfer business this window must make financial sense, despite the club being linked with a loan move for Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk.

Leeds have already welcomed four new faces at Elland Road this summer, with James Trafford, Tarik Muharemovic, Nico Elvedi and Harry Wilson all arriving to bolster the squad across the pitch. However, the Whites are reportedly still in the market for a left-sided attacker before the deadline, as well as a back-up striker to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a left-back, and a goalkeeper.

Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Michael Zetterer is understood to be a top target for Leeds, while Mudryk has also been considered after Chelsea confirmed the Ukrainian is available for a loan departure.

Mudryk has not played a competitive match since November 2024, when he scored for Chelsea in a 2-0 Conference League victory over Heidenheim. He received a four-year suspension after returning an "adverse finding" for the banned substance meldonium, which he appealed via the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He was permitted to return to action in July when that ban was repealed.

Farke, however, was tight-lipped when asked directly about the Chelsea winger, insisting he would not comment on players contracted to other clubs.

"There are always many noises around Leeds. You get the feeling every agent tries to use our name to speak about his player because Leeds is a well-known club," Farke said. "Sometimes you are linked with players I've not heard of – of course, I've heard of Mudryk, a really good player. But I won't comment about players playing for other clubs and no comment on speculation."

The German manager reiterated that while Leeds remain ambitious in the market, sustainability remains the guiding principle.

"We want to make sure the finances are in the right place, not just for a few months, but a few years. We are, of course, ambitious, and if it makes sense to do a financial deal... there is a possibility, we would like to add."

Mudryk is also attracting interest from other Premier League sides as well as clubs in Europe, including Chelsea's partner club Strasbourg.

Farke added: "We've made no secret we want to make the best possible squad and that to the last second, we will stay awake. We work with limited resources because we want to work sustainably. I'm pretty happy with our business so far. We've not spent like some other clubs."

EFL Cup focus and injury concerns

Following their opening-day victory against Nottingham Forest, Leeds face Oliver Glasner's side again at the City Ground in the EFL Cup second round on Tuesday night. Leeds are looking to progress to the third round of the competition for the first time since the 2022-23 season, but they will be without three key players.

Gabriel Gudmundsson and Wilfried Gnonto are still nursing hamstring injuries and have not yet returned to training, while the match also comes too soon for Ilia Gruev.