Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu may not play again until 2025.
Daniel Farke confirmed in his pre-Norwich City press conference that it may be 10 weeks until Ampadu is back in full team training following the knee injury he picked up in the win over Coventry City.
That absence would take him to the Christmas period, when there are so many matches and very little time on the training ground, meaning he may not be back playing until January.
Ao Tanaka is expected to step up for Leeds after impressing off the bench at Elland Road on Saturday, but it is going to take more than one player to get Farke’s side through this period without him.
Not only is Ampadu Leeds‘ best midfielder, but he is also their fourth choice centre-back, having played practically the entire second half of last season in that position.
Farke needs James Debayo to step up at Leeds
With Ampadu now out, Leeds are desperately short at centre-back due to the ongoing injury issues for Max Wober.
Wober has been struggling with a knee injury since last month’s international break and Farke confirmed on Monday he will be out for the next six weeks after undergoing surgery.
That now leaves Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon as Leeds’ only two senior centre-backs, which is even more worrying considering the former was nursing an injury last week, and spent the final five months of last season injured.
However, these issues to Leeds’ senior players at centre-back simply has to open the door for youngster James Debayo.
Debayo has been on the bench for all but one of Leeds’ Championship matches so far, having enjoyed a productive pre-season with the first team.
Farke has praised Debayo publicly on a couple of occasions but now needs to put his words into action and trust him if the injury situation gets any worse.
If worse comes to worst and one of Rodon or Struijk get injured, Farke would be better off trusting Debayo in his natural position, than putting square pegs in round holes to avoid using him.
It is in situations like this where Farke will learn whether Debayo is ready. If now isn’t the time, then it never will be.
Charlie Crew may also get Leeds opportunity
Leeds are slightly better stocked to cope with Ampadu’s absence in midfield due to Joe Rothwell, but one or two more injuries could see Charlie Crew get his chance.
Crew has made the bench on numerous occasions for the first team now but is still waiting for Farke to give him a chance, even if it is for the odd minute here and there.
Farke hailed Crew as a youngster with huge potential back in April and after handing him a new long-term deal over the summer, clearly there is an element of trust there.
It is going to ask an awful lot of Ilia Gruev and Tanaka to start every single match between now and January together, and so even if it is from the bench, Crew needs his opportunity.
During his pre-season outing against Harrogate Town, Crew looked composed enough on the ball, and aggressive enough without it to show he is ready for senior football.
Like Debayo, all Farke needs to do now is trust that he can make an impact and so there really isn’t a better time than now.
Leave a Reply