“Let’s see” – Daniel Farke hints at free-agent signings amid injury crisis

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has refused to rule out the possibility of entering the free-agent market.

The club is currently grappling with a growing injury crisis, with several key players sidelined ahead of their match against Sunderland this weekend.

Tuesday’s game against Norwich City at Carrow Road added to the list of concerns for manager Daniel Farke.

Isaac Schmidt was absent from the squad due to a glute injury, and captain Ethan Ampadu could be out for at least two months. The injury woes deepened further during the Norwich game as Ilia Gruev was forced off within the first 20 minutes.

The club is also without Manor Solomon, Dan James, and Max Wober, with Wober undergoing a knee surgery. This leaves Leeds short-handed, with as many as six first-team players likely missing the upcoming game vs Sunderland.

While the transfer window does not open until January, Leeds do have an option to sign free agents to find immediate relief.

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Daniel Farke’s on whether he will explore the free-agent market

When asked if the club could consider the option of exploring the free-agent market, Farke said (quotes via Yorkshire Evening Post):

“If I’m honest, I’m not a big believer in doing signings in October, but let’s see.”

He added that Leeds will assess the extent of Gruev’s injury before deciding on any potential moves:

“So first of all, we wait a little bit and hope for a positive outcome from the scan of Ilia and if there’s really a shocking diagnosis, and he is out for months, then of course, we’ll have a look on it, but I can’t confirm that we would do then something so then everything would come together – otherwise just a waste of money and a waste of energy.

“It could sometimes even be bad for the whole group, because it sends also sometimes a sign to some other players who could be then in the spotlight: ‘okay, we don’t trust you that much,’ so it must be a big coincidence that someone is really available who could help us. So let’s wait and see.”

Leeds fans will be hoping for positive news on the injury front as they face a tough run of fixtures in the coming weeks.