When Leeds United signed Noah Okafor during the summer, a lot was made of his injury record and inconsistent goal return. He’s emphatically proving his doubters wrong.
Leeds needed a drastic uplift in the summer window to stand a chance of avoiding relegation. Included in that transfer strategy was adding the quality in the final third to score the goals needed for survival.
The 49ers were accused of doing it on the cheap when Leeds only spent a fee on one attacking signing. That £18million was spent on AC Milan’s Noah Okafor.
Noah Okafor scores two goals vs Man Utd as Leeds United move six clear of relegation zone
I was keen to highlight that Leeds’ struggles in front of goal since the start of March have directly coincided with Okafor’s injury setback.
Leeds looked devoid of threat out wide with the Swiss winger absent. Unsurprisingly to me, his return to the starting lineup for our last two games has seen us score four goals, him being involved in three.
After assisting Ao Tanaka’s opener at West Ham in the FA Cup, he bagged a fine brace on the road at Old Trafford on Monday night.
His two goals proved the difference, making history for Leeds with a first league win away to Manchester United since 1981. Not only is it history for Leeds, but for Okafor himself. He’s cemented himself as a potential cult hero in the process.
Just ask Jermaine Beckford. His goal at the Stretford End is still sung about every week. Okafor’s got that to come after footage emerged of a brilliant chant in his name.
Fabrizio Romano update on Noah Okafor says it all – 49ers pull Leeds United masterclass
Okafor’s arrival at Leeds came as a reaction to missing out on long-running target Igor Paixao. The Brazilian winger looked to be the big name of the summer, but opted for Marseille after protracted Whites talks.
Leeds’ signing of Okafor was for a reduced sum relative to the £28million-plus Paixao was going to cost. As a result, he came with mixed reviews from Elland Road fans wondering where Leeds’ budget had suddenly gone. Add to that his troublesome injury record and many supporters justifiably weren’t over the moon.
However, early signs showed Okafor had the sort of star quality Leeds’ attack needed. A stunning first goal for the club at Molineux, followed by his folded arms celebration, depicted a player who could carry the weight alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin this season.
With six goals and two assists, he’s not winning any Premier League awards for his output. But, Fabrizio Romano has just highlighted a very important stretch of form from the winger. In turn, it could see Leeds shift towards survival:
📈🇨🇭 Daniel Farke: “Two days of team work, I took the risk with Okafor and he delivered”.
Okafor in his last 6 games for Leeds.
⚽️ vs Forest
⚽️ vs Chelsea
👟 vs Birmingham
❌ vs Brentford
👟 vs West Ham
⚽️⚽️ vs Manchester United pic.twitter.com/z74n7qTGBb
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 14, 2026
In taking the risk on Okafor’s fitness and his value relative to Paixao, Leeds have been propelled into a much better position in the survival scrap due to his big moments.
From these six outings, he’s managed: a goal and starring performance in the six-pointer vs Nottingham Forest, a game-changing performance off the bench at Stamford Bridge, and this iconic brace at Old Trafford.
That sort of impact, with six more games to continue in that vein, could be invaluable for Leeds’ long-term future. For £18million, you can’t help but think Okafor is proving to be a huge signing at Elland Road.
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