Leeds United alarm bells ringing as national manager hints at Noah Okafor problem
Leeds United will be concerned by the latest statements made by Noah Okafor’s international manager.
The Swiss winger has made an excellent start to his career at Elland Road, and already looks set to play a key role for the Whites in their fight against the drop this season.
Okafor has been the key threat for Leeds so far this term, and his direct running with the ball at his feet has been a nightmare for opposition teams in the early stages of the campaign.
Daniel Farke will be pinning his hopes on the 25-year-old as the season unfolds, but the alarm bells will be ringing in LS11 after this latest assessment.
Murat Yakin reveals message at Noah Okafor
Okafor has been in excellent form for Leeds so far this season, as he already has two goals to his name from the opening seven league games.
The winger has quickly established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet for Farke, and you would expect that his form would translate across into an international call-up.
However, that hasn’t been the case for Okafor on this occasion, with Switzerland boss Murat Yakin leaving him out of the squad once again for the upcoming international break.
- Okafor hasn’t played for his country in this calendar year
- He has 24 senior caps for Switzerland and has scored two goals
- He was part of their squad for the World Cup in 2022
The former AC Milan star hasn’t featured for his country all year, and his boss has now shared a somewhat damning assessment of him.
Speaking to Swiss outlet Watson, Yakin has shared the reasoning behind his decision, and it doesn’t reflect well on Okafor on the face of it.
“Okafor remains on our radar,” Yakin said.
“But we’re currently well-staffed in those positions. I’ve spoken with Okafor repeatedly, telling him what I expect from him on and off the pitch. I hope my words eventually get through to him.”
The suggestion that Yakin has had to relay his message to Okafor on multiple occasions certainly hints at the fact that the wideman’s attitude may not be where it needs to be at the moment.
Leeds may have concern over Noah Okafor in relegation battle
Okafor’s issues with Switzerland haven’t affected Leeds so far, as his form has been superb since his arrival.
However, Farke and Co. must surely ensure that they monitor the situation carefully in the coming months.
The Whites are going to face plenty of bumps in the road in their fight for Premier League survival, and they will need every player to remain fully on board throughout the campaign if they are to stay up.
They cannot afford to have a player like Okafor be disruptive in the dressing room or drop his head if results begin to slip.
Leeds have had no issues with their new star so far this term, but it is a situation that they must pay close attention to long term.
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