Tammy Abraham is a big admirer of Noah Okafor after the pair experienced the difficult moments together at AC Milan, and Leeds United now know why Abraham rated his former teammate so highly.
Tammy Abraham and Noah Okafor played together nine times for AC Milan during the 2024-25 season, but their relationship was also shaped away from the pitch.
Both players dealt with injuries during the same campaign, with Abraham missing matches through shoulder and thigh problems while Okafor suffered muscular setbacks of his own.
RATE Noah Okafor’s first season at Leeds United
He cost £18m.
It allowed them to spend significant time together during recovery periods. That context made Abraham’s recent comments about Leeds United’s £18m man Okafor particularly revealing.
Tammy Abraham is a massive fan of his old pal Noah Okafor
Speaking on Okafor’s YouTube channel, Abraham praised his teammate’s pace, power, dribbling ability and eye for goal, but his strongest praise centred on mentality and professionalism.
“He has pace, power. It’s all that Nigerian food he’s been eating. His pace and power, his dribbling, his eye for goal which he’s showing the world this year. He needs to keep showing this,” Abraham said.
“Mentality is a word that can be used to describe so many things, mentality can be the simple things, going to sleep on time, getting the right amount of sleep, getting up in the morning,” he continued.
“Trying to motivate yourself, we’re humans, sometimes we don’t wake up in a good mood. But it’s about getting yourself into that mode. I like to surround myself with people with a strong mentality.
“I think we bounce well off each other, that’s one of the things I love about Noah the most. He’s always locked in, he always wants to do well and help the team – he loves assisting, but I tell him to shoot more.”
Leeds United are now seeing those qualities every week
Okafor’s performances during the 2025-26 season have strongly backed up Abraham’s assessment. The forward has produced impressive numbers, scoring eight Premier League goals and laying on an assist.
Certainly, Okafor’s conversion rate saw him second only to Harry Kane in the last few weeks, having netted a brace against Manchester United. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a massive fan of the Swiss attacker.
He has also delivered in major matches, including scoring important goals against Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, while speaking afterwards about the need for Leeds to keep fighting together as a team.
The efficiency behind those performances is equally important. Okafor’s goal frequency this season shows a player becoming far more decisive in front of goal compared to difficult stretches earlier in his Milan career.
That development also makes Abraham’s playful criticism stand out more. The striker admitted he regularly tells Okafor to shoot more often, which suggests even his former teammate believes there is still another level to unlock.
Leeds players quickly recognised what Milan already knew
Okafor’s impact inside the dressing room has mirrored Abraham’s comments about mentality and focus. Shortly after his arrival at Elland Road, Dan James publicly praised Okafor as Leeds warmed to his quality.
There was external scepticism before his move, with concerns raised in Switzerland over his consistency and attitude, but Leeds internally backed the forward despite those concerns.
That faith increasingly looks justified. The consistency between Abraham’s description of Okafor and the way Leeds teammates now speak about him strengthens the argument that mentality has become one of the defining parts of his resurgence.
PROVE ME WRONG: Noah Okafor is Leeds’ most-effective player right now.
Gerrard thinks so.
Okafor has responded strongly after difficult moments in Italy
Okafor himself previously admitted his AC Milan spell “did not go as planned”, with injuries and inconsistent opportunities disrupting his progress in Serie A.
Even during those setbacks, however, he still added a Serie A winners’ medal during his loan spell with Napoli before eventually moving to Leeds United, where his confidence and rhythm have clearly returned.
That journey is why Abraham’s comments now feel particularly credible. He did not simply see Okafor during the good moments, he saw him during injuries, setbacks and difficult periods, which makes his praise sound more like an informed judgement than empty support.
Leeds are now benefiting from exactly the player Abraham described. The pace, directness and attacking quality were always there, but the mentality Abraham valued so highly is becoming just as important to Okafor’s rise in English football.
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