Daniel Farke drops update on Pascal Struijk injury situation at Leeds United | OneFootball

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has revealed that Pascal Struijk is available for selection against Cardiff City.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has confirmed that Pascal Struijk is back in training and could be involved in tomorrow’s game against Cardiff City at Elland Road.

The Dutchman hasn’t featured for the Whites since he was replaced midway through the second half of the FA Cup victory over Harrogate Town back on January 11 due to a hamstring issue.

Pascal Struijk injury latest

However, it appears he is now ready to return to action, as Farke told Leeds Live that the 25-year-old has been working with the group ahead of Cardiff’s visit, as he also gave a general update on the fitness of his players, with the German having a near fully-fit squad to choose from.

“He (Struijk) has been back in team training since Tuesday. If he is able to handle the load in the next couple of days, he's definitely a topic for the squad.

“We have had to manage Max Wober this week. He was not able to train on Tuesday.”

As well as the doubts over Wober, Leeds will also expect to be without Patrick Bamford against the Bluebirds, as the striker continues to recover from his own hamstring problem.

Leeds United’s squad depth will be key to promotion push

It should be said that Leeds have coped very well without Struijk, so it’s not like they are relying on the left-footer.

In his absence, they have picked up seven points from three games, and they have kept three clean sheets in the process. What’s more, they barely conceded a chance of note against fellow promotion hopefuls Burnley last time out.

So, if Farke continues with Ethan Ampadu alongside Joe Rodon in central defence, it wouldn’t be a surprise, as the Welsh duo are a great partnership at this level.

Having said that, Struijk is a class act as well, and he arguably brings more to the team because of the balance of having a left-footer in the defence, particularly if Sam Byram is at left-back.

As well as that, Struijk’s return would also allow Ampadu to push back into midfield, which is his natural position.

Either way, it’s a great situation for Farke to be in, and it shows the strength in depth at the club, which could be crucial during the final months of the season.

Leeds know more than most that injuries can hit at any time, so Farke will know that players currently on the fringes could still have a big role to play, which is why he will have pushed to have a strong squad as he seeks a third promotion from the Championship in his career.