Leeds United injury news as Michael O’Neill shares new Stuart Dallas fitness update
Leeds United defender Stuart Dallas will not be fit in time to feature for Northern Ireland during the March international break, according to Michael O’Neill.
The 32-year-old full-back hasn’t featured for the Whites since early in 2022 when he broke his femur during a Premier League clash with Manchester and has only recently begun to return to first-team training at Thorp Arch.
While Dallas has been slowly building his fitness in the hope of making his first appearance for Daniel Farke at Elland Road, Northern Ireland boss O’Neill has shared an update on his condition suggesting he’s still a while away from an international return.
As quoted by the Belfast Telegraph on Friday (9 February) he said: “That would be a stretch. Neither player is close to their first team at this minute in time and we are coming up to the midway point in February so I think it would be a tough challenge for both boys.
“It’s not that important that they are back for March. The most important thing is that they are fit and back playing for their clubs because obviously, we know when they do that they will be back playing for us.
“Both Stuart and Corry (Evans) are with their clubs and they are not back in terms of full training or back in their matchday squads and we just have to be patient with that and hopefully they will be fit sooner rather than later.”
Stuart Dallas may be finished at Leeds United
It has been a long and painful road to recovery for Dallas at Leeds United and you now have to wonder if supporters at Elland Road will ever see the defender pull on a White shirt again.
The 32-year-old’s contract is up at the end of the season and it has been around two years since he last took to the field for the Whites. Leeds cannot afford to give him a new contract in his current condition.
Farke has been eager to refresh and re-energise his squad and has therefore allowed the likes of Adam Forshaw and Luke Ayling to leave Elland Road during his tenure and he may well do the same with Dallas.
Hopefully, Dallas can step up his recovery and be available for the Whites following the March international break, but it seems as though Leeds supporters shouldn’t expect to see him in action for the next month or so at least.
In other Leeds United news, Simon Jordan has used the Whites as an example in a new message to Crystal Palace supporters
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