Double boost and new faces as Leeds United team and bench named for Valencia friendly

Whites boss Daniel Farke has named his Leeds United team and bench for Saturday’s pre-season friendly at home to Valencia, featuring new faces and a double boost.

There were doubts about both Dan James and Patrick Bamford due to injuries but both are part of the squad along with new signings Jayden Bogle and Joe Rothwell plus returning former loanees Max Wober and Brenden Aaronson.

Bamford and James both missed the second of two friendlies in Germany along with Crysencio Summerville who was nursing a hamstring injury and is now closing in on his switch to West Ham.

James was absent due to an adductor injury, for which he had a scan during the game but it was expected to be a matter of days before he was back. Bamford, meanwhile, is having his workload managed on the road back from a knee injury which cut short the end of his 2023-24 campaign.

But James returns to start along with Bogle who makes his Elland Road debut whilst Bamford is on the bench along with new loanee signing Joe Rothwell plus returning loanees Aaronson and Wober.

Mateo Joseph has been given the nod to start in the no 9 role whilst Willy Gnonto starts on the opposite flank to James. Ilia Gruev has been given the nod over Rothwel to partner new captain Ethan Ampadu in the middle of the park.

Youngsters Sam Cambers, James Debayo and Charlie Crew are also all on the bench.

Leeds United v Valencia: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Ampadu, Gruev; Gnonto, James, Rutter, Joseph. Subs: Darlow, Byram, Wober, Debayo, Crew, Rothwell, Chambers, Aaronson, Gelhardt, Bamford, Piroe.