Leeds United have had an injury crisis of sorts to contend with over recent weeks, with the midfield options in Daniel Farke’s squad, in particular, becoming very depleted.
With no Ethan Ampadu or Ilia Gruev to rely on – owing to both players being long-term casualties to the Elland Road treatment room – the former Norwich City boss has had to think on his feet in the middle of the park, thankful that both Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka were added to his group over the summer who have stepped up when needed.
But, the injury blows haven’t unfortunately stopped there, with a fresh concern now popping up in his threadbare camp.
The latest Leeds injury blow
The latest news coming out from the unlucky second-tier outfit is that Largie Ramazani could well be another to add to the list of ever-growing absentees, with the Belgian attacker having to come off after just 15 minutes versus Watford last time out.
He had already left his mark on the game, with an early strike helping his side just about overcome the Hornets by two goals to one, but if he is set for a spell on the sidelines for the foreseeable too – with Farke having to wait to see the extent of his ankle injury after further assessments – this will be another unwanted kick in the teeth for the German in terms of squad availability.
It could well spur the promotion hopefuls into becoming even more active in the free agent market though, with the second tier hopefuls securing a deal for this top midfield talent recently on the cheap, to further strengthen away from relying on Rothwell and Tanaka to deliver.
How Guilavogui could become the next Klich
The man in question – Josuha Guilavogui – could even strike up a fantastic partnership in the holding midfield spots with Tanaka if given time to settle, with the potential for the new boy to even become Leeds’ next Mateusz Klich, who joined as a low-key signing before becoming a revered presence in West Yorkshire.
Nobody would have anticipated Klich becoming as crucial as he would be for Leeds when he first moved to England in 2017, joining the ranks as a relative unknown entity from FC Twente.
Yet, the Polish midfielder would go on to prove himself to be a shrewd bit of business – with Klich only costing a reported £1.5m to acquire – by amassing 195 appearances for the club over many seasons, lining up all over the midfield spaces as an adaptable figure.
Position played
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
DM
274
12
7
CM
59
6
5
CB
42
2
1
AM
2
0
0
RM
1
0
0
Looking at the table above, much like Klich who would interchange being playing in a holding spot or being thrown into games further forward, Leeds’ new recruit can also slot into a side all over the midfield spots if required, with 42 career appearances even coming in the centre-back spots.
Yet, in a similar way to Leeds’ former midfield gem too, Guilavogui also has an eye for scoring and creating away from getting stuck in defensively, with six goals and five assists picked up when playing in a central midfield position over his playing days to date.
Farke will just pray that signing the former Wolfsburg man pays off in a similar way to the purchase of Tanaka this summer, as the 26-year-old has taken to the demands of the English game like a duck to water.
Against Watford, the 5 foot 11 ace would constantly allow his side to tick, with 56 accurate passes managed from his 70 touches of the ball.
Partnering him with a more forceful Guilavogui could go down a treat, therefore, as the 34-year-old won a stunning 5.1 duels on average per game during the 2021/22 Bundesliga season, giving the Whites a brute force in the middle potentially alongside the more measured Tanaka.
Whatever does happen with Guilavogui in a Leeds shirt, Farke will just be glad more depth has been added, as the games come thick and fast in the gruelling Championship campaign.
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