Noah Okafor has trained all week and Leeds United are in London to face Arsenal today where he could debut.
Leeds United already have three valuable points on the board and now face an even sterner test at The Emirates, but Okafor has been used to European nights with AC Milan in recent years.
Okafor interest from Leeds United was first called by Leeds United News and then LUN exclusively revealed Okafor to Leeds was a done deal pending a medical, which Okafor was soon pictured flying in for.
From the player himself, Okafor prefers to feature as a wide forward than a central striker. However, his versatility will be useful to utilise him in both roles when required. It’s perhaps why Daniel Farke may well want him in the matchday squad today.
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Noah Okafor reveals he will wear Pablo Hernandez’s Leeds number from training video footage
It was revealed that the fee in total that Leeds paid for Okafor is over €20 million. Instead, £13 million for Okafor is the primary fee, although add-ons were likely and they will take Okafor’s deal closer to £18 million.
Farke has been instrumental throughout the Okafor deal, with the 25-year-old keen to make an impression during what is a World Cup year. A Swiss international, Okafor has been blown away by Leeds fans already.
Okafor wants more Everton-like Leeds performances, starting with Arsenal today. He is expected to be involved in some capacity, but another significant development has emerged ahead of the fixture.
That’s because Okafor’s shirt number has since been revealed in his most recent training video. There were not many options available to the forward, but he has opted to take the vacant No.19 shirt following Mateo Joseph’s loan to Espanyol.
Prior to Joseph, the likes of Sam Greenwood and Rodrigo have donned it for Leeds. However, perhaps Leeds’ most famous modern-era player, at least outside of Raphinha, also took the No.19. That, of course, is Pablo Hernandez.
The remaining available shirt numbers at Leeds United
Farke wants a full-back and at least one forward after Okafor, with the available numbers dwindling. The list in full of Leeds’ squad numbers is named below:
- 1. Lucas Perri
- 2. Jayden Bogle
- 3. Gabriel Gudmundsson
- 4. Ethan Ampadu
- 5. Pascal Struijk
- 6. Joe Rodon
- 7. Dan James
- 8. Sean Longstaff
- 9. Dominic Calvert-Lewin
- 10. Joel Piroe
- 11. Brenden Aaronson
- 12.
- 13.
- 14. Lukas Nmecha
- 15. Jaka Bijol
- 16.
- 17. Largie Ramazani
- 18. Anton Stach
- 19. Noah Okafor
- 20. Jack Harrison
- 21. Alex Cairns
- 22. Ao Tanaka
- 23. Sebastiaan Bornauw
- 24.
- 25. Sam Byram
- 26. Karl Darlow
- 27.
- 28.
- 29. Willy Gnonto
- 30.
- 33. Isaac Schmidt
- 44. Ilia Gruev
- 45. Harry Gray
There are still gaps to fill, with 12, 16, 24, 27, and 28 being the numbers which catch the eye the most for the final two or three additions.
If the full-back takes 12 and the attacker takes 16, Leeds will have a fairly satisfying set of numbers for 2025/26.
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