Leeds United boss Daniel Farke spoke to the media before Tuesday’s Carabao Cup match at the City Ground (kick-off 20:00 BST) after a 1-0 win at home on Saturday. He outlined his squad, injury updates and transfer stance ahead of the clash with Nottingham Forest.
Squad Availability
Farke said there were “no new injuries” to report following the Premier League season-opener, and that he expects “more or less the same players” to be available for the cup game. He added that the team will rotate to keep competition high, but he does not anticipate a completely different side.
Injury Updates
Ilia Gruev, who suffered a meniscus knee injury in April, is “fully back” in team training after being partly integrated last week. Farke warned the fixture is “a bit too soon” for him and that he needs at least two weeks of training before selection. Willy Gnonto and Gabriel Gudmundsson are both nursing hamstring injuries; they are in a good place with rehabilitation but are not yet back in training.
Transfer Talk
Summer signing Nico Elvedi is “eligible to play and in very good shape” after a full pre-season with Borussia Mönchengladbach, so there is a “definitely a possibility” for his full debut. Farke dismissed the noise around a potential move for Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk, saying agents sometimes link the club with players he hasn’t even heard of. He added that the club will stay awake until the last second of the summer window but will only commit to deals that “make sense” and keep the club financially sustainable.
Player Outlook
Farke said Sam Byram’s future will most likely be away from Elland Road. The defender did not get much game time last season and is currently exploring his options. He expressed a personal soft spot for Byram, wishing him a good decision for his future.
Cup Ambition
When asked about a cup run, Farke said winning a domestic cup would be a “do or die” mentality he enjoys. He noted that Leeds’ 1-0 win on matchday one was a perfect start, but he expects a tight game against Nottingham Forest, describing it as a “do or die” cup match that will motivate both teams to progress.
The press conference ended with Farke’s confidence that the team’s recent form and the presence of key players like Elvedi will give Leeds a solid chance to advance in the Carabao Cup.
