Leeds United's five-week countdown begins as Whites’ pre-season absentees named

Several members of the Whites’ first-team squad are due to reassemble for pre-season testing this morning as the countdown to the first game of the season officially begins.

It is just under five weeks until the Whites kick off their Championship campaign at home to Cardiff City and despite not yet having named a head coach, an announcement is expected this week in conjunction with news of United’s takeover being approved by the EFL.

While 49ers Enterprises’ acquisition of the club reaches its final stage, Leeds’ players’ focus will be on preparing as best they can for what could prove to be a gruelling 46-game campaign.

The goal, whether explicitly stated or not, is to gain promotion by any means necessary and return to the top flight after last season’s disappointing 19th placed finish.

A post-mortem of the 2022/23 campaign has been conducted, though, and Leeds are looking forward, not backwards. Recently-departed assistant coach Karl Robinson confirmed as much to the YEP last week: "I'll never reveal what players say in dressing rooms, I think it's a sacred place, but certain people at that club said things that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, about the forthcoming season.”

As many as 26 players could be expected to report to Leeds Beckett’s Headingley campus for physical testing at the state-of-the-art sports facility. Some of those may find that their future lies elsewhere, either out on loan or by sealing a permanent move, while others will be eager to hit the ground running ahead of a potentially make-or-break 12 months at Elland Road.

Those who have represented their countries at international tournaments this summer are not expected to cut short their required relaxation period for at least another week.

Head of medicine and performance Rob Price stressed the importance of rest whilst speaking to the YEP ahead of pre-season day one: “We finished three weeks later than teams in the Championship last season and they might already be back but we needed to give our players their holiday and their rest.”

Charlie Cresswell, Illan Meslier, Crysencio Summerville, Willy Gnonto and Rodrigo are among the eleven or so first-team players not required to report back on Monday, July 3. Brenden Aaronson, Dan James, Rasmus Kristensen and Max Wober are also set to return in a week’s time.