Farke boosted as £13m player makes Leeds return pledge and vows to give his all to Whites
Jack Harrison of Leeds United and Junior Firpo
Leeds United have been given a boost as former Barcelona man Junior Firpo is nearing a full recovery and could return to action soon.
After being relegated from the Premier League, Leeds were kept busy this summer as Farke went about rebuilding the squad from the ground up.
Leeds were powerless in preventing departures this summer as plenty of their squad had relegation release clauses in their contracts which allowed them to leave on loan.
While plenty of big-hitters have departed, Leeds ultimately did well to navigate a difficult summer transfer window. They explored the loan and free agents market and also invested in some new exciting players.
Firpo was one of the players expected to depart this summer, but the club ultimately didn’t receive any suitable offers. Back in June, it seemed as if a sale was more than likely, but this didn’t materialise in the end.
Since arriving from Barcelona in 2021 for a fee of around £13m, Firpo hasn’t lived up to expectations. Injuries haven’t helped as the 27-year-old has struggled to find much consistency in a Leeds shirt.
The defender has missed the start of the new Championship campaign with a knee injury, but the defender has provided a fresh injury update and seems eager to get going under Farke.
“Right now I feel very good, I have almost recovered from my last injury and I really want to play with the team again,” the defender told Momento Deportivo.
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Can Firpo win over the Leeds fans?
The defender clearly seems keen to get back on the pitch and Leeds fans will be hoping to see more from the 27-year-old this season.
Perhaps the drop down to the Championship could suit a player like Firpo as he looks to win over the Elland Road crowd. Last season the defender started in just 14 league matches and played a total of 1,368 minutes.
Farke does have an excellent track record when it comes to developing full-backs and he could unlock the untapped potential in Firpo.
It’s no secret that the German boss tried to sign Max Aarons before Bournemouth hijacked the deal. Leeds instead signed Djed Spence on loan who will compete with Luke Ayling for the right-back spot.
On the left-hand side, Sam Byram has often been given the nod by Farke so far. The 29-year-old rejoined Leeds this summer on a free transfer.
Firpo will have his sights set on overtaking Byram in the pecking order as he looks to get his Leeds career back on track. The Spanish defender is under contract until 2025 and this feels like it could be his final chance to make it at Elland Road.
