Leeds United are preparing to take on Portsmouth in the 2024-25 Championship opener with only one game left to play against Valencia on Saturday at Elland Road.
But with only 10 days left, Daniel Farke still has plenty of selection headaches he needs to sort out before picking his starting XI against newly-promoted Pompey, and the possibility of new signings beforehand.
Pascal Struijk v Max Wober as Austrian returns to Leeds
Joe Rodon is one of the first names on the team sheet and will without doubt, start on the right side of a centre-back pairing. But who gets the nod on the left? Max Wober’s return to Leeds has complicated it.
The Austrian was expected to depart but Gladbach’s sporting director Roland Virkus has said that Leeds only want to sell, with the German side unable to afford him. Though, he does say a late move is possible.
Struijk is a vice-captain and fit again after his long-term injury but made a mistake against Hannover. Wober was almost at fault for a goal vs Schalke. It really is a toss of a coin right now, who gets the nod.
Who partners Ethan Ampadu in midfield for Leeds?
Nancy Froston reports on The Athletic that Farke wants more goals from midfield. Whether that comes in the form of a new signing, moulding a current player or in on-loan ace Joe Rothwell remains to be seen.
What is key, is that Ethan Ampadu will return to midfield and that will see the Leeds captain play the no.4 role. Something Ilia Gruev did expertly when Ampadu was moved alongside Rodon in central defence.
Gruev scored against Hannover with a dart beyond the defence, while Rothwell might be more natural in the role. It could well be that Leeds make a new signing in that position before the end of the summer.
The Brenden Aaronson conundrum after impressive pre-season
When Brenden Aaronson announced his return, he might have been confident that he would start with the future of both Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville under the microscope and expected to go.
But with both still at the club, it may see him struggle to start. Everton are unlikely to sign Gnonto now, and West Ham only want to pay half of Leeds’ £40m Summerville price tag, meaning they are set to stay.
That in turn could see Aaronson struggle to start. Naturally a 10 but playing left wing in pre-season, the USA start is hardly going to overtake Summerville on the left or Georginio Rutter in the no.10 position.
But, Farke could look to play Rutter from the right – a position he played at Hoffenheim – and then insert Aaronson into the 10 role. But as things stand, Aaronson may start on the bench against Portsmouth.
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