Leeds United handed Junior Firpo wildcard after new international developments
Leeds United and Daniel Farke won’t have welcomed the international break having just begun to find their feet in the Championship.
With the transfer window now closed and the playing squad settled, there is nothing to distract the Whites from their promotion push, at least until January when it all starts up again.
However, Farke and his coaching staff will have been given plenty of food for thought over the break, especially as several Leeds players have starred or been involved on international duty.
Brendan Aaronson featured for the USMNT in their clash with Canada, Wilfried Gnonto played for Italy’s U21 side and Manor Solomon has impressed while away with Israel.
On top of that Junior Firpo played the full 90 minutes for the Dominican Republic in their showdown with Bermuda, but not necessarily in the role that most Whites fans would have been expecting.
Junior Firpo hands Leeds United a wildcard at Elland Road
The former Barcelona man started up front in the 3-2 win and impressed as the Dominican Republic’s number nine, creating three goal-scoring chances after his side had been reduced to 10 men early in the clash.
Farke is already blessed with some incredibly talented number nines at Elland Road, with the likes of Mateo Joseph, Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford all fighting it out for the starting role in the German’s squad.
While the Leeds United boss is incredibly unlikely to throw Firpo into that central role in the Championship, his display during the international break has shown that he could be Farke’s wildcard in the event of injury or suspension.
Bamford’s fitness record is less than impressive and while both Piroe and Joseph are more robust, there is always a chance that either player could pick up a knock and be sidelined for an extended period of time.
If that were to happen, maybe Farke would be tempted to throw Firpo up top if Leeds were comfortably leading a game.
It would be an uncharacteristically radical decision from the usually sensible Whites boss, but Firpo as the number nine is something that almost every Leeds fan would like to see at some point this season.
In other Leeds United news, Bamford’s stance on a new contract at Elland Road has emerged amid links with an exit
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