Daniel Farke has offered an insight into his Leeds United squad ahead of the new campaign, with the Whites set to kick off their Premier League return with a near-complete roster.
Only two players will be unavailable when Leeds face Nottingham Forest on Saturday, meaning every one of the club’s recent acquisitions will be options for the opening fixture at the City Ground.
Among those new arrivals is Nico Elvedi, who joined full training with his teammates for the first time on Wednesday and could make his debut in the encounter.
The Yorkshire outfit will be without Willy Gnonto after he picked up a hamstring problem, while Gabriel Gudmundsson will also sit out the season’s first match.
Farke confirmed at his initial pre-match media duties of the term that Gnonto would miss the clash due to the hamstring issue. He said the club anticipates the Italy international returning to group sessions shortly but confirmed he would certainly be absent this weekend, with Gudmundsson also unavailable, meaning the pair will both sit out the opening league game. The German coach added that every other member of the squad would be ready for selection.
Leeds are set to field a significantly different side at Forest’s ground, with England goalkeeper James Trafford and Wales international winger Harry Wilson expected to be in the starting eleven, while Elvedi and Tarik Muharemovic will both be competing hard for places in the first eleven.
Regarding Elvedi, Farke noted that Wednesday marked the defender’s inaugural session with the squad, describing his track record as self-evident. He highlighted that the Swiss defender spent 11 years at a single club, which he said reflects greatly on his character and professionalism. Farke also mentioned that Elvedi is regarded as a legendary figure at Borussia Monchengladbach, a prominent German institution. The manager stated that the signing brings renewed vigour and is well-prepared for the task ahead, which aligned with what the club was seeking.