"We know our targets and goals. We want to be a Premier League club next season. We want to achieve that target and then get to a better place." Ethan Ampadu's words, quoted by bbc.co.uk, carried more weight because Leeds had just left Nottingham Forest with three points after Anton Stach's late free-kick. After a 14th-place finish last season, eight points clear of the relegation zone, this felt like a club talking and playing with a bit more conviction.
Ampadu's standards match the recent results
Daniel Farke was happy with the manner of it as much as the outcome. Speaking to bbc.co.uk after the match, he said: "I expected a difficult game away at Forest. I'm very happy to come away with a cleansheet and compliments to the players."
That is a fair reading of the day. Forest away is the kind of opening fixture that can expose a promoted side's nerves or a middling side's limits. Instead, Leeds looked like a team with a firmer idea of itself.
The wider run supports that. Leeds have won 5 of their past 8 league games, collecting 17 points, with only Arsenal on 18 taking more since the start of April. Set against a 14th-place finish in the 2025-26 season, that is a serious uptick, even if nobody sensible should turn one August result into a guarantee of where this campaign ends.
Ampadu's other comments got to the heart of it. He told bbc.co.uk: "There were times in the first half of last year where we allowed teams to run over us a bit. We wanted to get a bit more solid and put our stamp on the game. We want the ball, we want to be attacking and creative."
That sounds like a group trying to move on from mere survival. Leeds stayed up last season, but the target now is a higher standard of performance, not just another scramble clear of the bottom three.
New arrivals gave Leeds immediate value
Stach will take the headlines because he settled the game, and it helps that he arrived in decent touch. His average rating across his last five matches is 7.1. More important than the decimal, though, was the immediate sense that Leeds' summer work has given Farke players he trusts.
The club have invested approximately £80m on signings. James Trafford cost £45m, a record fee for a British goalkeeper, while Harry Wilson arrived on a free after producing 10 goals and 7 assists for Fulham last season.
Ampadu said the mood from those arrivals had been obvious from the start. Quoted by bbc.co.uk, he said: "From the very first minute they walked into the building, they have shown their quality. They have shown why they have been brought in to try and help us get to the next level. They've shown that hunger and drive to take Leeds to a better place so that has been very good."
Farke made the same point after the match, with a bit more detail on who caught his eye. He told bbc.co.uk: "I am very happy because they have big boots to fill. Trafford is a good player but he hasn't played that many Premier League games, Tarik too. So they both shined and showed why we agreed to sign them, but the whole group was excellent today. Wilson too was excellent. The vibe and mood is good around the place."
The caution in that quote matters. Farke is not pretending every new signing will settle instantly. He is saying the first signs were good, which is a much more credible message in August.
The away signal is encouraging, not conclusive
Away form was one of the obvious limits on Leeds last season. They managed only 2 away wins in the 2025-26 campaign, so opening with a result like this on the road is significant.
Farke's own framing was measured. He told bbc.co.uk: "Away games in Premier League are always difficult. Sometimes the second year is more difficult. Last season, we picked up many points with draws. On the road, we want to be competitive and be more effective."
That is probably the right line. One result at Forest does not prove Leeds have solved away matches, and the scoreline itself should be treated as reported rather than independently confirmed here. But the performance, the clean sheet and the contribution from new players all fit the same idea: Leeds look further along than a side simply hoping to hang on again.
Stach's late free-kick gave them the opening result. Ampadu's quote may end up being the more revealing part of the afternoon, because Leeds now sound like a club expecting more than 14th.
FAQ
Why are Leeds United fans more optimistic under Daniel Farke now?
The opening win at Nottingham Forest added to a run of 5 wins in Leeds' past 8 league games, a stretch worth 17 points. Ethan Ampadu also spoke about higher targets, saying the club want to be a Premier League side next season and then push on again. The tone around the squad looks more ambitious than it did after last season's 14th-place finish.
How important was Anton Stach in Leeds United's opening win?
Anton Stach decided the game with a late free-kick and gave Leeds an immediate return from a new face. His contribution mattered because the result was tight and because Leeds are trying to show they have added quality, not just numbers, in the summer.
Are Leeds United better away from home than last season?
The early sign is positive, but it is too soon to call it a settled trend. Leeds managed only 2 away wins in the 2025-26 season, so winning at Nottingham Forest is a better start on the road. Daniel Farke also said Leeds want to be more competitive and more effective away from home.
What did Ethan Ampadu say about Leeds United's targets this season?
Ampadu said Leeds know their targets and want to be a Premier League club next season. He framed survival and stability as the first aim, then spoke about getting to a better place after that. It was a measured line, but also a pretty clear sign that the group expects more from this season.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
