There was a lengthier update on the Leeds United winger's current fitness status after being left out on Sunday
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
07:00, 11 Nov 2025
Wilfried Gnonto
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Wilfried Gnonto(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)
Leeds United have been handed a few injury boosts over the last few weeks, albeit they have been unable to stop the current malaise.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s adductor issue meant he was restricted to half-an-hour’s play against Nottingham Forest, and now he has the international break to fully recover. Daniel James will meanwhile be away with Wales having yet to start a game since August.
Daniel Farke said James was ready to start fitness-wise if called upon but the winger was kept on the bench until the 74th minute at the City Ground. It seems countryman Ethan Ampadu will be fine for intentional duty too, despite going down against Forest.
The Leeds skipper sustained a nasty cut to his right knee midway through the first half and required lengthy treatment. He was fine to play on amid hopes that adrenaline has not covered up what might be a more serious issue that first feared.
The big question ahead of kick-off and after full-time against Forest was the absence of Wilfried Gnonto from the squad again. Previously, this was due to a calf injury and then minor hernia surgery.
However, he has since had two weeks of full training yet still hasn’t made a matchday squad since coming on for a short cameo against Fulham on September 13. Farke explained his omission in his post-match press conference.
“He was out for such a long time - he had his calf problems and the hernia problems," Farke said. "We've discussed it was an option to take him with us - perhaps not for the starting line-up but as an option from the bench.
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“But in the end, we decided after the training week that we didn't want to take the risk today, because we have, right now, two more weeks of training for him.
"So after a really long term injury, and surgery, we thought for this game, to bring him perhaps in from the bench, it's not worth taking the risk. He has two more weeks, and [that] would be more or less four weeks in training. So it’s a bit like a little pre-season for him.”
The other injury concern was Sebastiaan Bornauw, who picked up a shin knock in training. He was absent from the squad, though had been left out of five of the last seven Premier League squads anyway amid his fourth-choice status as centre-back.
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