Leeds United trio's international outlook could hand Daniel Farke major fitness lifeline ahead of Sheffield United clash
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Daniel Farke will have a keen eye on this week’s football as Leeds United’s international stars begin to report back at Thorp Arch, although there is some hope of fresh legs returning.
11 players flew off to represent their respective countries following the 2-2 draw at Sunderland, including six who would be realistically expected to start Friday’s Championship clash against Sheffield United. The double-edged sword of having a squad full of international quality players is that you keep losing them to international teams, and the make-up of Leeds’ squad means key players will be back later than most, having travelled longer than most as well.
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Hide AdJoe Rodon will return relatively early, given his second Wales game against Montenegro is this evening, while Wilfried Gnonto’s Italy under-21s face the Republic of Ireland in their only game of the break tomorrow. For the rest, it will likely be Wednesday at the earliest but Leeds are due a little good fortune and could soon get it.
Brenden Aaronson will almost certainly be the latest back, with his USA side facing Mexico in Guadalajara at 3.30am UK time on Wednesday morning. It means the 23-year-old isn’t likely to be back in training until Thursday, the intensity of which will depend on his physical state.
The USA’s two fixtures this month are not competitive, with the trip to Mexico and Saturday’s 2-0 win over Panama both friendlies. Aaronson started and got 78 minutes in the latter but could feasibly expect to be rested come Wednesday, with new manager Mauricio Pochettino keen to get a feel of his full squad before competitive football returns.
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Similarly, Spain Under-21s’ upcoming fixture against Malta is of little significance, with the former already topping their Euro U21 qualifying group while Malta are bottom. Mateo Joseph started and bagged a first-half hat-trick against Kazakhstan on Thursday but, as with Aaronson, could easily be rested as manager Santi Denia hands out minutes elsewhere.
One international fixture that definitely does count is Japan’s 2026 World Cup qualifying clash against Australia, a first-vs-second meeting in Group C on Tuesday morning UK time. But Ao Tanaka is not a guaranteed starter for his nation and was an unused substitute during Thursday’s 2-0 win against Saudi Arabia, with Liverpool’s Wataru Endo and Hidemasa Morita of Sporting CP preferred.
And so while all three will report back to Thorp Arch later in the week, with Aaronson and Tanaka both travelling long distances, there is a realistic scenario in which they are spared significant minutes. If so, a return to training at almost full intensity is not out of the question ahead of Friday’s game.
Junior Firpo is the outlier, as the star of a Dominican Republic side vying to continue a perfect start to their Concacaf Nations League campaign. His side face Antigua & Barbuda for a second time in Bermuda on Tuesday evening, with a call to be made once he is back in West Yorkshire. But if only one returnee is struggling come Friday, and no one picks up an injury, Leeds will take it.