Daniel Farke will hope at least one of the trio makes a return vs West Ham United this week
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
07:00, 21 Oct 2025
Wilfried Gnonto has not played in more than a month
View Image
Wilfried Gnonto has not played in more than a month(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Like all teams, Leeds United have had their fair share of injuries this season, though Daniel Farke will not wish to use this as an excuse.
It is arguable that such injuries, if not to any centre-forwards, have impacted United’s full attacking potency so far. Three out of five wingers have been sidelined with issues, with Daniel James essentially an “emergency” option against Burnley, according to Farke.
The manager will outline whether the Welshman has come through his 34-minute substitute’s appearance at Turf Moor without blemish and how much of a role he could play against West Ham United on Friday.
Lucas Perri returned to the bench at Burnley but is not yet ready to start, having not been previously available since August. It may well be that Karl Darlow keeps his spot once again. Three other players are facing late assessments for Friday’s match-up.
Wilfried Gnonto
Gnonto missed three games with a calf injury prior to the international break but was ruled out of the trip to Burnley due to a minor operation on a hernia during the pause. Farke expects him back in training this week.
He could therefore make the matchday squad on Friday, but this has yet to be confirmed and he will no doubt face late fitness checks. He is almost certainly not going to start, even if he does make the cut.
Gnonto has not played since the 1-0 defeat to Fulham five weeks ago and his last start came back in August. He is still the only winger to register an assist this season, which came in the League Cup loss to Sheffield Wednesday.
Expected return date: October 25 vs West Ham
Noah Okafor
Speaking to radio, Farke was pretty ambiguous about Okafor’s recovery timeline but unconfirmed reports suggest he is touch-and-go for West Ham at best. It seems more likely he misses out.
This is Okafor’s second groin injury of the season, just eight games into his Leeds career. He picked up an identical complaint following his first start, which was that League Cup defeat to the Owls.
Farke will give more clarity over the availability of his £18million summer signing on Thursday. Like Gnonto, a start seems out of the question, regardless.
Expected return date: November 1 vs Brighton
Harry Gray
Gray was still suffering from the hip flexor issue that denied him a place on the bench against Tottenham Hotspur and a reunion with brother Archie, ahead of this weekend’s clash with Burnley. Farke said he hoped the teenager would be back available this week.
That does not necessarily mean he will be picked. With James back and possibly Gnonto too, there might not be enough space.
Farke and the club are keen to shield the 17-year-old from the limelight given his raw age and famous surname. Though, he could soon be making headlines if a new contract is announced as Farke hinted at last week.
Expected return date: October 25 vs West Ham
Here at LeedsLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the bestLeeds Unitedcoverage and analysis.
Article continues below
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest Leeds news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clickinghereto subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Clickhereto be sent all the day's biggest stories.