Leeds United Fires American Manager Jesse Marsch After Less Than a Year

The Jesse Marsch era at Leeds United has come to an end. 

The Premier League club announced the American manager’s dismissal Monday less than a year after hiring him. The move comes after Leeds lost to Nottingham Forest on Sunday—the club has not won a league match since the post-World Cup restart. The loss left Leeds hanging right on the edge of the relegation zone, equal on points with 18th-placed Everton. 

The move comes at a strange time after Leeds invested more than $50 million during the winter transfer window to bring in new recruits for Marsch, which also included prying U.S. men’s national team star Weston McKennie from Juventus on loan with a reported $36.5 million option to make the move permanent this summer. 

After arriving at Leeds following a short spell in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, Marsch was hired to replace Marcelo Bielsa and proceeded to help the historic English side avoid relegation last season with a win on the final day. The club then went on to spend more than $100 million in summer signings, which also included USMNT stars Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson. 

But this season, Leeds has only managed four league wins as the club has not been in the top half of the table since the first week of September. 

“We would like to thank Jesse and his backroom staff for their efforts and wish them well for the future,” the club said in a statement. 

“The process of appointing a new head coach is underway and we will continue to keep supporters up to date throughout the coming days.”