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Elland Road is preparing to welcome back twenty former Leeds United players in the upcoming season, with the reactions from the passionate home crowd expected to range widely in a stadium well known for its expressive atmosphere.

As reported by yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, a number of ex-Leeds players are scheduled to return with their current clubs, including Brentford, Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City. In addition, Bournemouth, Arsenal, and newly-promoted Hull City are also due to visit Elland Road during the campaign.

Jaidon Anthony will make his return with Brentford on 30 August. The winger, who spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Leeds United, went on to score eight goals and register two assists for Burnley last term before completing a transfer valued at around £20 million.

Eddie Nketiah and Crystal Palace are set to visit on 19 September. Nketiah’s loan spell at Leeds in the 2019/20 season was curtailed due to limited playing time, and after a £30 million move from Arsenal to Palace last summer, he has continued to seek consistent first-team opportunities.

Karl Darlow, now part of Manchester United, will return to Elland Road on 17 October. Darlow made headlines as the first player in 22 years to move directly from Leeds United to Manchester United, joining on a free transfer. He served as first-choice goalkeeper last season, though reports indicated he was not assured of the same role for the future.

Tottenham Hotspur will arrive on 7 November featuring Djed Spence and Archie Gray. Spence’s loan spell at Leeds during the 2023/24 season was cut short under manager Daniel Farke, but he has since revitalised his career at Spurs and earned a place in England’s World Cup squad. Archie Gray, a Leeds academy graduate, completed a £40 million move to Tottenham in 2024 and continues to develop, though his first-team appearances remain limited for now.

Coventry City are set to visit on 28 November with their captain Matt Grimes, who previously made seven Championship appearances for Leeds on loan during the 2016/17 season. Grimes played a key role in leading Coventry to promotion last season.