Medical expert: Leeds United may be forced to sign Junior Firpo ‘replacement’ after latest
Leeds United may be forced to sign a like-for-like replacement for Junior Firpo following his latest injury.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis.
Firpo, 25, picked up what has since been revealed to be a knee injury in Leeds’ 4-0 friendly win over Blackpool earlier this month (7 July).
The Spanish left-back, who signed from Barcelona for £13million in July last year, was not included in the squad for Leeds’ pre-season camp in Austria.
As quoted by The Athletic last Wednesday (13 July), Whites boss Jesse Marsch revealed that Firpo is ruled out for the next eight weeks.
Dinnery suggests that Leeds could now look to sign a new left-back amid further injury concerns in their backline.
“We’re a couple of months past that last MCL,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“It is a concern, especially when you look at who is available in that back line. Jesse Marsch has brought in new recruits, but there are still some big key, long-term injuries.
“Ayling had a timeline of around four months, Dallas is six-plus months. There is a lot of experience gone from that back line. Cooper also has a small Achilles injury, nothing major.
“Firpo had a very stop-start season, and that’s being generous. Supporters would have liked to see him kick on because he was caught lacking on some occasions.
“This injury is going to keep him out for potentially another couple of months. That will have an impact in terms of fitness but also on what Marsch does with his squad in terms of bringing in players.
“He has talked possible options in there. One of those is a like-for-like replacement. It’s not ideal on that front.”
In other news, Leeds United backed to accept “£25m” Jack Harrison offer after journalist’s update.