Leeds United leave notable stars off plane to Sardinia as Saturday friendly with Girona looms

HEAD coach Marcelo Bielsa left a number of senior Leeds United players at home as the club flew out to to Sardinia to face Cagliari Calcio with the Whites also playing Girona in Manchester on Saturday.
STAYING AT HOME: Gjanni Alioski.STAYING AT HOME: Gjanni Alioski.
STAYING AT HOME: Gjanni Alioski.

Goalkeeper Bailey-Peacock Farrell is believed to be recovering from an injury and is again missing from the squad along with Jamie Shackleton and Gjanni Alioski with all three internationals having also missed the club's pre-season tour of Australia along with Mateusz Klich.

Several of the club's internationals and summer signings Helder Costa, Ben White and Jack Clarke also missed the trip Down Under but Costa, White and Clarke all boarded the plane to Sardinia along with Klich.

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Having featured heavily in the friendlies in Australia against Manchester United and Western Sydney Wanderers, on loan Manchester City winger Jack Harrison, left back Barry Douglas and Northern Ireland international Stuart Dallas are also missing with striker Kemar Roofe and defender Luke Ayling who have both been confirmed as injured.

Ayling looks set to miss the first few games of the season following a knock to his ankle suffered in training before the club's first pre-season friendly against York City.

Ayling has not featured for the Whites in pre-season and a return date for the 27-year-old is not clear but the defender has had surgery on the issue and is not thought to be facing a long-term absence.

Roofe, meanwhile, is also facing up to missing a month out with an ankle injury picked up during the club's pre-season tour of Australia.

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The 26-year-old forward limped off during the second half of the Whites' 2-1 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday.

United initially feared a long-term issue but further assessment returned a positive result with Roofe suffering a severe sprain.

Wales international forward Tyler Roberts has yet to feature in pre-season and the 20-year-old is again not among those travelling to Sardinia.

Roberts had a minor operation on his knee over the summer.

Several of the club's most promising youngsters have also been left behind in Pascal Struijk, Ryan Edmondson and Kun Temenuzhkov as well as summer recruits Liam McCarron, Rafa Mújica and Guillermo Amor.

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Four youngsters who boarded the plane to Australia are also left behind in Jordan Stevens, Clarke Oduor, Bryce Hosannah and Kamikl Miazek.

Instead, Bielsa has taken young goalkeeper Josh Rae, defenders Leif Davis and Oliver Casey and midfielder Jack Jenkins to Sardinia.

Rapidly emerging 17-year-old Polish attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz also travels despite having taken a knock in the second half of the clash against Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia.

Leeds squad for Cagliari friendly: Kiko Casilla, Josh Rae, Adam Forshaw, Ben White, Liam Cooper, Patrick Bamford, Helder Costa, Pablo Hernandez, Kalvin Phillips, Gaetano Berardi, Leif Davis, Mateusz Klich, Mateusz Bogusz, Jack Clarke, Jack Jenkins, Oliver Casey.