Leeds United close to achieving key World Cup goal as Aston Villa injury nightmare provides reminder
Leeds United are within touching distance of getting the one thing they need from this summer's tournament.
Leeds United are unlikely to welcome back a World Cup winner this summer but an overnight injury blow elsewhere is a reminder only one thing matters.
Four members of Daniel Farke’s squad received call-ups for the tournament and all four have played some role. Gabriel Gudmundsson was the most prominent, starting all three of Sweden’s group stage games plus their 3-0 round-of-32 defeat to France, while Ao Tanaka got two starts and a substitute appearance for Japan.
Brenden Aaronson’s World Cup homecoming with the USA totalled just 76 minutes of football in a meaningless 3-2 group stage defeat to Türkiye, the forward an unused substitute overnight as his side were eliminated by Belgium. Noah Okafor is the last Leeds man standing.
Switzerland face Colombia tonight in their last-16 tie but Okafor will likely have to wait for his opportunity - if he gets one at all. The winger had a watching brief throughout the group stage, his only appearance coming off the bench for 20 minutes in last week’s round-of-32 win against Australia.
It’s not been a World Cup in which Leeds fans have been able to watch their players shine on the global stage. Far from it. It’s been a largely disappointing tournament for those members of Farke’s squad, with Gudmundsson and Tanaka decent in spells while Aaronson and Okafor have barely had a sniff.
Last night’s action provided an example of what could happen in a worst-case scenario, however, with Aston Villa handed an injury nightmare. Their physical midfielder Amadou Onana was forced off in the 21st-minute of Belgium's win over the USA, having suffered what is now known to be an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.
As reported by The Athletic, Villa had no plans to strengthen their midfield this summer but Onana now facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, they could be forced to change tact. That, alongside losing such an important player for what is likely to be a good chunk of next season, is the stuff of World Cup nightmares for any Premier League team.
Aston Villa injury blow could force unwanted transfer re-think
It is why a lot of teams, including Leeds, have long planned to do the bulk of their summer business once the tournament is over. Injuries can completely disrupt summer recruitment plans and Manchester United have been left in a similar position to Villa following a serious knee injury to Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte.
Leeds know they will welcome back Gudmundsson, Tanaka and Aaronson for pre-season without injury. The latter pair even enjoyed good spells of rest during the tournament and will return to West Yorkshire chomping at the bit to move past their disappointing campaigns.
Other potential World Cup call-ups like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach have been rested entirely after missing out. Elland Road ever-presents such as Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Jaka Bijol and Jayden Bogle also got the summer off.
Okafor remains an active part of the tournament but as mentioned, is unlikely to play anything more than a second-half substitute role against Colombia tonight. Leeds will have a sharp eye on their star winger in the hope he, like the trio already out, can return to Yorkshire unscathed.