Pascal Struijk, a Leeds United defender, may not return from an adductor injury until after the international break, according to Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist gave Daniel Farke’s (12 February) update on the Dutch defender during his pre-match news conference before of the 13 February match against Swansea.
Struijk last played for the Whites in December, scoring in a 2-1 loss to Preston North End on Boxing Day. He has been nursing an adductor injury since then and may not return until after the international break in March.
Hay wrote: “Farke indicated that Struijk may not return until after the next international break, due to his extended absence to this point.
“There have been some good scans but at the moment, our doctors are careful to give the green light.”
Farke suffered a setback, but Leeds performed admirably in the absence of Pascal Struijk.
Struijk has been a consistent performer for Farke this season, appearing in 23 league games.
He has three goals and an outstanding defensive record, making him one of the Whites’ most valuable first-team players.
In his absence, Liam Cooper and Ethan Ampadu have joined Joe Rodon at centre-back for Leeds, and they’ve been rather impressive without the Dutchman, keeping six clean sheets across all competitions.
Struijk’s absence will be a huge setback for any club, but it is safe to say that the Whites have been fantastic without him, and that is the standard for being a top-tier team in any level – having highly strong options when faced with an injury crisis.
Rodon has performed brilliantly without his defensive partner, while Ampadu has been incredible in his centre-back role with his Welsh counterpart, providing a breath of fresh air in what has been a fantastic debut season at Elland Road.
Cooper, who may be nearing the end of his career at the club, has proven to be a capable understudy to Struijk. There’s also the option of rarely-seen Charlie Cresswell, who is still waiting for game time under Farke but represents an exciting option if the defensive position is under attack due to injuries.
Struijk may be gone for another month or so, but the Whites are in good hands while he is away.
