Abstract: A laying head for a rapidly movable wire rod and including a carrying sleeve located in the support housing of the laying head for receiving a wire entrance section of a laying pipe and supported by two, spaced from each other bearings, a pipe holder projecting past an end surface of the carrying sleeve remote from a carrying sleeve section that receives the wire entrance section of the laying pipe for supporting a wire laying section of the laying pipe; and a pressing device located in the support housing for applying a radial pressure to a section of the carrying sleeve located between the two bearings.