Opportunity is going to knock in the very near future under Daniel Farke for Leeds United’s first set of returners. Day two on the grass with the German at Thorp Arch got underway on Thursday morning, but there is already a match approaching on the horizon.
First impressions have already been made, but the proof will be in the pudding for Farke. A first chance to put his charges into match action arrives on Wednesday, after precisely one week of working together.
Manchester United await in Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadion and while Leeds will be far from full strength, there will be a healthy complement of debates for Farke to mull over during the game. For example, based on who has been around this week, Cody Drameh should be set for a start at right-back.
Luke Ayling will likely be needed in central defence with Liam Cooper, freeing Drameh to show Farke exactly what he’s capable of for the season ahead. The club’s left-back issues are likely to leave Pascal Struijk out there again too.
If Farke continues with the 4-2-3-1 he used with Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach, then Darko Gyabi seems hard for him to ignore in the engine room. The 19-year-old looks ideally set to make an impression in the second tier next season.
His partner is a harder call. Archie Gray may be the exciting, next big thing people want to see, but Sam Greenwood’s age and experience may be Farke’s first port of call.
With Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra at Thorp Arch, but working on recoveries from injury, Sonny Perkins and Georginio Rutter look nailed on as Farke’s wide options.
Rutter was identified by all of United’s managerial targets as someone they would use out wide, rather than as a centre-forward. Patrick Bamford is the most senior striker currently in training and should be poised to lead the line in Oslo.
Joe Gelhardt could be the most likely option to play off Bamford, between Perkins and Rutter. There should also be at least chances from the bench for younger or out-of-favour players.
Under-21 defenders Diogo Monteiro, Kris Moore and Jeremiah Mullen have all been pictured working with Farke this week already. Last season’s loanees, Jamie Shackleton, Lewis Bate and Ian Poveda have also been seen trying to catch Farke’s eye.
Like Gray, Mateo Joseph will want to make a breakthrough with the new manager this summer. The England under-20 striker will hope to share minutes with Bamford in Norway.
Like Harrison and Sinisterra, Tyler Adams is already back at Thorp Arch, but recuperating from the hamstring issue which prematurely ended his season. Junior Firpo and Marc Roca have also been around this week, despite the expectation they will leave before September 1.
They missed training with Farke on day one with minor issues and are unlikely to be risked next week if it jeopardises their chances of transfers away.
