Just last week, Daniel Farke claimed that Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu had a 50/50 chance of returning before the end of the Championship season.
Now, as the campaign nears its end and Portsmouth is set to kick off early on Sunday on the South Coast, the manager’s newest injury news isn’t as dismal.
Farke declined to place a number on Ethan Ampadu’s predicament this time.
However, while Ampadu’s chances of returning were 50/50 seven days ago, it appears that the captain’s chances of returning to the pitch before the end of the 2024/25 season have improved slightly.
Perhaps not up to 80 or 90 percent, but certainly much higher than 50.
Speaking ahead of Leeds United’s trip to Fratton Park – the Championship table-toppers could see their three-point lead eroded with Sheffield United hosting Preston North End the day before – Farke confirmed that Max Wober isn’t the only defender who could return after the March international break.
He is still not able to entirely rule out Ampadu having surgery to fix a knee cartilage condition.
But the former Norwich City manager feels a lot more optimistic about his captain’s involvement at the tail end of a tough season.
Daniel Farke provides a favorable report on Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu.
“The good [news] is that everyone who was accessible for the previous game is now available for this game as well. “All were able to recover from a few hits and knocks,” Farke says, with Ampadu potentially returning in early April rather than the middle or end of the month.
“Rehab for Ampadu and Wober. Hopefully, we’ll get them back after the international break. With Max, it’s evident that everything will work out. Ethan may still require surgery.
“But, at the most, he looks like he could join us for the run-in.”
Daniel Farke highlighted concerns over Mateo Joseph after the striker injured his ankle in last week’s 1-1 draw with West Brom. His comments, however, appear to imply that the Spain Under-21 international will be available for selection away against John Mousinho’s Portsmouth side.
Farke acknowledged that long-term absentee Patrick Bamford is speeding up his own comeback to fitness as the club seeks promotion from England’s second division for the third time. The experienced striker has not featured since the 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers on New Years’ Day.
Farke says Patrick Bamford is back in training while Joe Rothwell prepares to step up.
“Bamford, he was part integrated into team training in this week,” she states. “He was absent for nine weeks. He was able to handle the workload. Good news for him: he’s making improvement.
However, the match against Portsmouth will undoubtedly come too soon for Bamford, Wober, and Ampadu. Fortunately, Farke has the type of depth that most clubs at this level can only dream of.
Former Leeds midfielder David Prutton is convinced that Joe Rothwell will step up in Ampadu’s absence, and Pascal Struijk’s return to full match sharpness couldn’t have come at a better time.
“We talked earlier in the season about [Ampadu] being out and then suddenly you get Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka looking like one of the best midfield partnerships in the division,” Prutton shares with the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“Obviously, Tanaka’s journey has been a little different, but Joe is an excellent player.
“I’m sure he didn’t come to Leeds to play a supporting role because of his reputation and ability, but because of his capacity to change games, his responsibility on the ball, his ability on the ball, and his ability from set pieces.
“And we have all seen that is priceless.”
