Leeds United could lose Junior Firpo for start of new season, another player also questionable
Leeds United duo Junior Firpo and Mateo Joseph could both be unavailable for the start of next season due to their involvement in the Olympic Games, according to Beren Cross.
The Leeds Live reporter stated on 4 June that Firpo “looks likely” to feature for the Dominican Republic this summer, while Joseph’s involvement with Spain is “a possibility”.
The group stage begins on 24 July and the final would be played on 9 August, a day before the start of the 2024-25 Championship season – though players involved are likely to require a period of rest before returning even if they do not get that far.
How damaging will it be for Leeds United to lose Junior Firpo and Mateo Joseph?
The extent to which the loss of Firpo will affect the Whites at the start of their 2024-25 Championship campaign is likely to be determined by the nature of their summer transfer window.
Head coach Daniel Farke’s other option at left-back, Sam Byram, is out of contract this summer and no decision has yet been communicated as to whether the 30-year-old will be offered a new deal or not.
Should he be released, the need for a new left-back would obviously become urgent – but a new player in that position could be necessary even if Byram stays, given his chequered injury history.
Joseph’s potential absence is likely to be far less damaging, as the 20-year-old does not command a regular starting berth.
If anything, it may only hamper his own chances of making an impression on the first team early in the campaign as he looks to stake his claim for more minutes, depriving him of the chance to catch his manager’s eye in pre-season.
In other Leeds United news, Diego Llorente waits and hopes in a new transfer update.
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