Why Daniel Farke will be especially proud of Noah Okafor’s performance vs Bournemouth
Leeds spent a lot of money on new players this summer in their attempts to build a team that can thrive in the Premier League.
Early signs suggest they’ve spent well. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff have all received a lot of praise in the media.
However, one player who has gone comparatively under the radar is Noah Okafor.
Okafor signed for Leeds from AC Milan for £18million in August. He scored his first Leeds goal in the recent 3-1 victory against Wolves, yet was still subject to criticism from Daniel Farke after the game.
However, it’s fair to argue that the 25-year-old might have the highest ceiling when it comes to potential for development.
Noah Okafor shows tremendous improvement days after criticism from Daniel Farke
In an interview after the Wolves game, Farke urged Okafor to improve his ball retention.
Okafor attempted a remarkable 14 dribbles during the 70 minutes he was on the pitch against Wolves, but only six of these were successful. Meanwhile, his pass completion rate was a woeful 43%, according to Sofascore.
Okafor gave the ball away a lot against Wolves, but it was seen as a bold move to call that out publicly.
However, the Swiss international responded in the best possible way.
Against Bournemouth, he only attempted four dribbles, but three were successful. Meanwhile, his pass completion rate rose to 91%. His improved focus on keeping possession for Leeds helped relieve the pressure against a strong Premier League team and allowed Leeds to keep hold of the lead until late in the game.
Okafor was substituted after 67 minutes in this game, long before Bournemouth managed to find their stoppage-time equaliser.
Noah Okafor will continue to fight to be a regular starter at Leeds
Okafor has all the talent to be a regular starter for Leeds and to thrive in the Premier League.
He has the ability to create chances out of nothing for Leeds and even pop up with a goal himself, as he did in the game against Wolves.
| Noah Okafor 2025/26 Leeds statistics | |
| Appearances | 5 |
| Minutes played | 313 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 0 |
However, he’ll have to adapt the simpler parts of his game if he’s going to fit in this Leeds team. The Whites can’t afford to carry a midfielder with a sub-50% pass completion rate if they’re going to compete in the Premier League.
It’s a testament to Okafor’s attitude that he improved this area of his game so quickly after being called out by his manager.
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