Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will currently be preparing to face off against Sheffield United at Elland Road in the Championship on Friday night.
The Whites went into the international break off the back of a 2-2 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light and will now be looking to bounce back to winning ways against the Blades.
Farke will still be without his two first-choice central midfielders, however, as Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu are long-term absentees with knee injuries.
It was recently revealed by Bulgaria boss Ilian Iliev that the former is due to be out of action until the March international break, which is a significant blow for Leeds.
Why losing Ilia Gruev is a blow
Being without the former Werder Bremen man until March is a big blow for the Whites because it stretches beyond the January transfer window and leaves them in a difficult position.
If they do not find a free agent who suits what they want, it would be hard to commit to a signing to fill the void in January as it would have to be a player who would know that their game time could then be limited once Gruev returns to fitness in March.
The 24-year-old midfielder made 29 appearances in the Championship last season, completing 92% of his attempted passes and making 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game.
Gruev also completed 90% of his attempted passes and made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match across eight outings in the league this season before his knee injury.
The player Leeds should recall
Farke could ease the blow of losing Gruev by recalling youngster Darko Gyabi from his loan spell with Plymouth Argyle in the Championship.
Should they have the option to do so, the Whites must bring the England U20 international, who scored a stunning goal for his country against Italy’s U20s last week, back to Elland Road in January.
He took the ball in 30 yards out and dribbled a few yards before unleashing a scorching effort into the back of the net from long range to draw England level, in a game they went on to win 2-1.
Gyabi has also caught the eye with his performances for Wayne Rooney’s side in the Championship this season, and could provide the calmness in possession and combative nature out of possession that Gruev offered.
Appearances
9
8
Key passes per game
1.3
1.8
Pass accuracy
85%
90%
Duels won per game
4.9
3.3
Duel success rate
54%
50%
As you can see in the table above, both players create chances for their teammates whilst being reliable on the ball, albeit the Bulgaria international is not as loose with his passing.
Gyabi, though, appears to offer more of a physical presence in the middle of the park, winning more duels and a higher percentage of his battles each game.
The 20-year-old could, therefore, come in as a dream replacement for Gruev in the second half of the season, as a player who knows the club and has now proven himself in the division, which is why Farke should attempt to recall him.
Leeds must rue selling "magnificent" £8.4m ace who's now outscoring Piroe
The Whites let go of the centre-forward before he had a chance to fulfill his potential.
1 ByDan EmeryOct 14, 2024