Leeds United will be without Dan James for the rest of 2025 and probably a month into the new year, after Daniel Farke confirmed the winger has injured his hamstring tendon.
While James has endured an injury-hit start to the season, losing one of three contenders for last season’s Championship Player of the Season award is a blow for Farke. Even if he is considering changing system.
Prediction time for Leeds United v Chelsea
It leaves Leeds without one of their biggest threats on the right wing. Going into Chelsea and the busy winter period, Farke will be cursing his club’s ability to bring in another attacker in the January window.
A switch to 3-5-2 is made more likely following the injury to James, but there is every chance Farke calls Brenden Aaronson back into the starting line-up, or starts Willy Gnonto on the right of his Leeds attack.
Daniel Farke suggests unlikely player as Dan James replacement
But Farke even suggested a left-field option to replace James over the course of the next two months. During his press conference on Tuesday, Farke was discussing right-back Jayden Bogle’s recent form.
He admitted the £5m signing has endured a difficult period but in the last two games, Bogle has been “back to his best”. He also praised Bogle’s versatility, claiming he could also play as a right winger.
“I like that he says there is more to come. He had a really good start, perhaps a fair assessment that he wasn’t at his top level for a few games. But the last two games, back to his best, not that easy at this level.
“But he’s a key player. Full-back, wing-back, even winger sometimes. Fantastic character, well-loved in the dressing room, he proves more and more why we wanted to sign him,” Farke continued, on Bogle.
Daniel Farke delivers devastating Dan James injury news 🤕
Has Jayden Bogle ever played as a right winger for Leeds?
From the off, the former Sheffield United man has only ever been used as a right-back by Farke but there is a bigger chance that Farke uses Bogle as a winger, in the Premier League, to make Leeds defensive.
Farke has often made the point that Aaronson makes Leeds more defensive when the American plays as a right winger. But Aaronson lacks in the final third, and probably does more so than Bogle offers out wide.
It might be sensible that if Farke does revert to a 4-3-3, Bogle could be considered on the right wing with James sidelined. But at this moment, it is more likely that Farke fields a 3-5-2 system against Chelsea.
Leeds will also be without Sean Longstaff for Wednesday night’s clash against Chelsea, but Anton Stach and James Justin appear to be fit while Karl Darlow is set to return to the Leeds bench on Wednesday.
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