Leeds United
Noah Okafor. Credit: Imago
With the World Cup just a few months away, a lot of Leeds United players have work to do. The Whites have a handful of players who could make this summer’s tournament.
Brenden Aaronson was recently named in the USA squad for the upcoming international break. He will have a lot to do to make this summer, with concerns over his form. Ao Tanaka has been on the bench for a long stretch of games, but he could also be at the tournament with Japan.
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And even though there is a slim chance, Anton Stach has himself in the conversations for the German national team even though he is on the fringes. So is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is knocking on the door of Thomas Tuchel.
National team boss drops update on Leeds United star
This week, Switzerland national team boss Murat Yakin has made a shocking revelation about his World Cup plans. In his press conference announcing the squad for this month’s friendlies, he confirmed that Noah Okafor was set to make the squad before his injury.
The news comes as a bit of a shock as Okafor has been away from the national team since November 2024. It was reported that the winger had problems with Yakin, who made his decision to leave Okafor out of the team for over a year. But it looks like he could return to the fold soon.
Unfortunately, the news came with a bad side, as Yakin confirmed that Okafor has not recovered from his injury and will miss the international break. “I had planned to have him in the squad, unfortunately he’s injured now. He’s making good progress, we’re in contact. We also spoke recently on the phone about him staying focused,” Yakin said.
So while the winger will not be available over the break, he could return to action for Leeds United soon.
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Leeds need a spark up front
Noah Okafor has been a big miss for this Leeds United team. Even though he had some inconsistency in the middle of the season, his run of form early this year was promising. Okafor’s impact of the bench against Chelsea was exactly the boost Daniel Farke needed.
When the winger is on the pitch, he brings an injection of pace and directness that not many other plays in the squad have. With him on the pitch, the team can stretch defences and threaten on the counter. Farke will be pleased to see the 25-year old return to action.