Leeds United star is 'major doubt' after international injury as Daniel Farke welcomes five back

Rutter returned from his France Under 21 involvement with a problem that has kept him out of training since he rejoined Farke at Thorp Arch this week and although the manager will wait before ruling him out, there’s a big question mark over the forward.

“Some players took knocks [during the international break],” said Farke on Wednesday as he previewed the game at New York Stadium on Friday night.

"Georgio Rutter is a big doubt, he has an abdominal strain, came back injured and couldn't be in team training yet. He's a major doubt. So far he was not able to train with us. We have the last test tomorrow in training.”

Farke’s options have been supplemented over the past week however with players returning from injuries. Tottenham Hotspur loanee Spence damaged his knee ligament in training back in September and was initially expected to be back involved within the space of eight weeks, but a bout of illness set his recovery back. Joe Gelhardt sustained a fracture in his hand in another training accident, revealed by Farke at the start of the month, while central defender Pascal Struijk required surgery on a hernia issue just prior to the international break. Struijk had been playing through the pain barrier but the win at Leicester City proved the final straw before an operation was required. The international break was seen as an ideal opportunity to allow Struijk to complete at least part of his recovery without missing many games. Jamie Shackleton also missed action due to a glute strain before the break and Sam Byram limped out of the Plymouth Argyle game prior to the break with a hamstring problem.

"Some good news with some players,” said Farke. “Joe Gelhardt, Jamie Shackleton and Djed Spence are back in team training for five days, since Saturday, all three are fully involved in team training. That's definitely good news. It’ll be a late decision with them. Shackleton was not out too long, for him it's a bit easier, Joff was out a little bit longer but he looks alright in training. For Djed it's the most difficult position because he had a difficult pre-season, was just with us for two weeks and then out for eight weeks. They're edging closer. It depends also on which position in the squad we need their support.

"Sam Byram and Pascal are recovering much more quickly than expected. Both were involved today back in team training, we have to wait to see how the body reacts after this load and see how they come through the session tomorrow, then it'll be a late call to see if they can travel and how many minutes they can play.”

Farke is also awaiting the return of some of his internationals, who will not be able to join in with a single team training session before the squad travel to South Yorkshire on Friday.

"There are players who can't train at all,” he said. “Players who had many minutes yesterday, like the Welsh players and Willy Gnonto, they will be with us tomorrow but they will just be able to an individual recovery session otherwise I couldn't pick them. Joe, Ethan or Willy with 90 minutes I can't send them into a normal team session, it's not possible. A few will head into the game without a team session. There should just be a first start on a Saturday afternoon but the rules are what they are and the TV picks. Complaining doesn't help, we have to adapt and find some solutions. There will be some late decisions. It's not just the load, the travelling, they're travelling around Europe the last two weeks, they come back, sometimes after very difficult and important games, especially the Welsh with a heartbreaking result and having to come back. In one day there's the most important game in your life. It's difficult from the mental side. The first game is always a bit tricky, you have to dig in and go through it. We have to be really smart in what we're doing.”

Stuart Dallas remains Leeds’ long-term absentee. The Ulsterman has not played since fracturing his femur in an April 2022 Premier League clash with Manchester City at Elland Road.