Leeds United Sign Nico Elvedi from Borussia Monchengladbach

Leeds United have landed experienced Swiss defender Nico Elvedi from Borussia Monchengladbach in a deal worth up to £8.5m, handing Daniel Farke a trusted lieutenant at the heart of his back line.

The 29-year-old has signed a three-year contract at Elland Road, ending an 11-year spell in Germany and reuniting with Farke, who coached him at Monchengladbach in the 2022-23 season.

“He is also a big point for this change,” Elvedi said, making no secret of how central Farke was to his decision. “It was just one year but I loved to have him as a manager. I learned a lot from him and I will learn a lot now.”

A pillar from the Bundesliga

Borussia Monchengladbach accepted an offer of £6.8m up front, with a further £1.7m in potential add-ons. For that, Leeds are getting a defender with deep top-flight experience and a serious international résumé.

Elvedi made 364 appearances for Monchengladbach after joining as a teenager, growing into one of the club’s most reliable figures across league and European campaigns. For Switzerland, he has already amassed 73 caps and played every minute of their run to the World Cup quarter-finals, underlining his durability and trustworthiness on the biggest stage.

Farke’s rebuild takes shape

Elvedi becomes Leeds’ fourth signing of the summer window, following goalkeeper James Trafford, winger Harry Wilson and fellow defender Tarik Muharemovic. The pattern is clear: Farke is building from the back with players he believes can handle both the ball and the pressure.

His arrival has already triggered movement. Sebastiaan Bornauw has left Elland Road to join Hamburg on a season-long loan, a reshuffle that underlines how central Elvedi is expected to be in Leeds’ defensive structure.

The churn did not stop there. Earlier on Wednesday, striker Joel Piroe completed a season-long loan move to West Ham, another significant outgoing as Leeds reshape the squad for the campaign ahead.

Elvedi comes with pedigree, familiarity with the manager and a clear role. Now the question is simple: can that long Bundesliga education anchor a Leeds side desperate to turn potential into promotion?