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Daniel Farke sends warning to Leeds players after £18m signing of Noah Okafor took number of summer arrivals to NINE
@Source: dailymail.co.uk
Leeds boss Daniel Farke insists he's happy managing a large squad after making nine signings this summer - and admits he doesn't have much sympathy with any players who aren't starting.
Noah Okafor became their latest recruit on Thursday, with the forward joining from AC Milan in a deal worth £18million.
Leeds have now spent more than £90m since winning promotion from the Championship and ahead of today's trip to Arsenal, Farke said: 'It is professional football, I'm here to win football games and establish this club in the Premier League, I'm not here to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
'I have a group of nearly 30 players, and just 11 can start. Quite often, only six or seven play the full 90 minutes so the bigger part of the group are always disappointed. I don't like to feel too sorry for them.
'Of course, the job comes with pressure and they are not robots.'
Farke added: 'It's the most difficult part of the job because you have to disappoint human beings but it's professional football and you are highly paid for this.'
The Leeds boss also defended Mikel Arteta insisting that the Spaniard has done an 'outstanding' job.
With the expected signing of Eberechi Eze, Arsenal's transfer spending since Arteta took charge in December 2019 will pass the £900million mark. The Gunners have finished second in each of the last three Premier League seasons and have only won the FA Cup under Arteta.
'You have to put the amount he spent in context,' said Farke. 'It's impressive but if you spend many years at one club, it's more likely that you reach these sums. He has done an outstanding, impressive job.
'I remember in my time at Norwich there was the change of management at Arsenal. He had a team who played very differently in comparison to what they have delivered in recent years. It's very impressive.
'I can remember my first chat with him a few years ago after he took over a difficult situation. He said, 'Daniel, at least they start to run and work a little bit'. How well they have done in recent years, they dominate so many games and at times they are unplayable. It's just the final step to win some trophies but you can't underestimate the work he's done.
'He's done an incredible job to make them that consistent at the top level. The title would be the icing on the cake and if you look back on what he's done it would definitely be deserved for the hard work and the foundations he has created in recent years. He should be pretty proud.
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