Forget Habib Diarra, Leeds United can go one better with 6ft 4 Bundesliga monster instead
Adam Elliott
Leeds United are missing out on top central midfield target Habib Diarra to Sunderland, with the 49ers now having to look elsewhere.
It was said from the start that it would be difficult for Leeds United to complete a deal given the figures it could go to and the messaging from the club early on in negotiations for Diarra..
Despite other recent reports stating that Strasbourg would demand closer to £25 million for Diarra, it was always likely to be far more than that before Sunderland joined the race.
Sunderland’s full Diarra package could reach £35 million, which is far more than the quoted £25 million. Leeds would not go that high for Diarra, per our exclusive with Graeme Bailey.
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Anton Stach – German midfielder for Hoffenheim
Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
Leeds should be eyeing a move for Hoffenheim midfielder Anton Stach
Sean Longstaff and Noah Sadiki are on Leeds’ radar but Leeds could add to the Jaka Bijol signing with even more height and physicality in their team.
A ball-winner is something Leeds need, but if they are able to progress the ball in some way, then that is an added bonus. That could be via deep build-up phase passing or strong and powerful runs forward from midfield.
Leeds have to consider Hoffenheim’s Anton Stach. The German is a 26-year-old with two caps for his country but stands at a monstrous 6’4” in height. He is also a player Daniel Farke should know well from the Bundesliga.
He can break up play but loves to break forward and join attacks by carrying the ball and protecting it by players simply bouncing off of him as he joins the attack.
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His sheer power will help Leeds to win midfield battles. The likes of Diarra and Sadiki are under 5’11” in height and Leeds could benefit from someone markedly taller than Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka as an option.
The towering midfield ace has become one of the best players in his position in Germany outside of the main four clubs of recent years: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, and RB Leipzig.
He works best as a box-to-box or defensive midfielder but he has deputised as a central defender on occasion as well. Leeds would utilise him as a No.8 or No.6 in this scenario.
Team League Appearances Goals Assists
VfL Osnabrück II Oberliga Niedersachsen 1 0 0
SSV Jeddeloh II Regionalliga Nord 27 4 3
VfL Wolfsburg II Regionalliga Nord 40 6 6
SpVgg Greuther Fürth 2. Bundesliga 33 1 1
1. FSV Mainz 05 Bundesliga 68 2 13
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Bundesliga 71 4 6
Germany N/A 2 0 0
Anton Stach’s career stats (all comps)
His availability is outstanding, with Stach having played 29 games or more in each of his four Bundesliga campaigns. The German top flight has 34 league fixtures in a season.
That and his sheer frame and size could help raise the floor of Leeds’ team, while he is technically secure enough to be a ceiling raiser as well.
He carries the ball like Arsenal and England’s Declan Rice — meaning he is difficult to stop once he gets motoring forwards.
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Anton Stach of Hoffenheim
Photo by Markus Gilliar/Getty Images
Anton Stach is available at a bargain price this summer
Stach is under contract until 2027 but won’t be short of suitors this summer as his Hoffenheim side have dropped from seventh down to 15th in the space of a year.
Leeds ought to be in for him for more reasons than one but primarily due to his low valuation from Christian Ilzer’s team.
🚨🔵 TSG Hoffenheim want to keep Anton #Stach in the summer but are aware of interest from several clubs.
The asking price for a summer transfer is between €15-20m. Stach is under contract until 2027. Eintracht Frankfurt are among the clubs interested in the two-time German… pic.twitter.com/A8VcW26AV4
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) March 8, 2025
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Per Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Stach has interest from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, crucially at a price point of between €15 – 20 million — which is £12.8 – 17 million.
It’s far less than Diarra
for a player who might actually fit the team far better than the Senegal international as well.
