Leeds United defender's new absence reveals injury timeline after 92 per cent availability run

Wober will sit out this month's international break after undergoing surgery on a recurring knee problem. The 27-year-old has seen his 2024/25 campaign disrupted by repeated knee issues, which Leeds have taken the decision to rectify with surgery.

The ex-Red Bull Salzburg defender is anticipated to return after the international period and could be in contention to face Swansea City on March 29, but will first need to prove his fitness at Thorp Arch.

Given the timing of this latest international break, it was possible after surgery last month that Wober may be rehabilitated sooner than the initial six-week forecast, permitting him to join up with the national team, as he has managed in 11 of the last 12 international windows.

Evidently, Wober's recovery has not progressed to the extent at which Leeds are happy to send him away with Austria. This suggests he is currently on the original rehabilitation timeline, or perhaps even behind schedule, meaning his return to the pitch for Leeds may instead come next month.

Manager Daniel Farke previously expressed mild consternation at Rangnick's decision to play Wober for 90 minutes in a Nations League fixture against Slovenia last year, despite the defender only recently returning from injury.

Wober's knee issues have been closely linked to his workload, preventing him from appearing for Leeds in consecutive fixtures without exhibiting signs of the recurring problem which has robbed him of any semblance of match rhythm this season.

Victory for Austria in the two-legged play-off with Serbia will give the European nation an alternative qualification route for the FIFA World Cup in North America next year.

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