Leeds United’s 2026-27 schedule is going to feel like a reunion tour. Twenty former players are set to walk back through the Elland Road tunnel this season — some as heroes, others as villains, and at least one as a genuine wild card.
The biggest talking point? Karl Darlow. The Welsh goalkeeper left Leeds this summer after his contract expired and signed with Manchester United. That alone is rare. He’s the first player in 22 years to make the direct move from Elland Road to Old Trafford. And when United visits on October 17, Darlow’s reception is going to be something else. He was Leeds’ first-choice keeper last season but the club couldn’t promise him the same role going forward, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. So he took his talents to the red side of Manchester. Fans will have a lot of feelings about that.
The Full List of Return Visits
Some of these guys left on good terms. Some left early and awkwardly. A few never really got a proper shot. Here’s the rundown on the dates that matter most for Leeds supporters:
Jaidon Anthony — Brentford, August 30
Anthony spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Leeds and put up solid numbers before moving on. Last season he logged eight goals and two assists in the Premier League for Burnley, then Brentford bought him for around £20 million. He’ll be back at Elland Road in late August.
Eddie Nketiah — Crystal Palace, September 19
Nketiah’s 2019-20 loan at Leeds got cut short because he wasn’t getting enough minutes. He eventually left Arsenal for Palace in a £30 million deal in 2024, but he’s still not a regular starter. The reception for him will be curious — Leeds fans remember the potential more than the production.
Karl Darlow — Manchester United, October 17
Already covered above, but worth repeating: this is the one everyone will watch. Darlow’s return could be hostile, awkward, or weirdly polite. Hard to predict.
Djed Spence — Tottenham Hotspur, November 7
Spence’s loan at Leeds in 2023-24 ended early under Daniel Farke. That could have been the end of his story, but instead he found regular minutes at Spurs and even made England’s World Cup squad. He’ll be back with something to prove, and Leeds fans haven’t forgotten how it ended.
Archie Gray — Tottenham Hotspur, November 7
The academy kid who left for £40 million in 2024. Gray hasn’t gotten consistent senior minutes yet, and his role this season depends on a busy summer window. But Leeds fans love him. That ovation will be loud.
Matt Grimes — Coventry City, November 28
Grimes made seven Championship appearances on loan for Leeds back in 2016-17. Since then he captained Coventry to promotion last season. He’s not a headline name, but Coventry’s rise makes this an interesting subplot.
Other notable returns include players coming with Bournemouth, Arsenal, and newly promoted Hull City. The full list stretches across 20 names, and each one brings a different history with the Leeds faithful.
Some of these reunions will be warm. A few will be cold. And at least one — Darlow’s — will be genuinely unpredictable. That’s the thing about Elland Road. It never forgets.
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