Leeds United will only have Premier League matches to worry about for the rest of 2025 after they were knocked out of the League Cup on Tuesday night.
The Whites, amazingly, lost 3-0 on penalties to Sheffield Wednesday after missing their first three spot kicks, and will have to wait for the FA Cup in January to start their next ‘road to Wembley’.
Whilst supporters are still well within their rights to be frustrated with the manner of the performance and the overall result, it does now mean that they will not have any distractions from their attempts to rack up points in the Premier League.
Although you could argue that it does mean there are fewer opportunities for the fringe players in the squad to gain minutes and press their case to come into the league XI.
For example, the clash with Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night presented Daniel Farke with an opportunity to hand full debuts to Jaka Bijol, Noah Okafor, and Sean Longstaff.
Okafor arrived from AC Milan on a permanent deal earlier this month and the Whites will be hoping that he can add some attacking flair to the squad this season.
What Noah Okafor could bring to Leeds this season
The Switzerland international is a versatile attacker who could be deployed on the left flank as a winger or through the middle as a centre-forward option for Leeds, which provides Farke with flexibility in the way that he can select his teams.
It was on the wing where he made his full debut in the League Cup, though, and the pacey attacker showed glimpses of what he may be able to bring to the team this season.
Minutes
85
Key passes
2
Big chances created
1
Assists
0
Shots on target
2
Goals
0
Dribbles completed
4/8
Duels won
9/17
As you can see in the table above, Okafor was direct, completing four dribbles, and tried to make things happen at the top end of the pitch with two key passes and two shots on target.
Unfortunately, he was unable to register a goal or an assist to change the direction of the match, but there were plenty of positive signs to be encouraged by.
However, it is also worth taking into consideration that Okafor only produced one goal and two assists in 21 games for Milan and Napoli in all competitions last season, per Sofascore, and six goals and three assists in 36 outings in the 2023/24 campaign for the Italian giants.
This does not suggest that he is likely to hit the ground running as a forward who can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis for Leeds, purely based on his lack of consistency in the final third with Milan.
Okafor’s inconsistency in recent seasons and his lack of experience in English football may be why the West Yorkshire outfit are now reportedly looking at another addition out wide.
Leeds remain interested in Premier League forward
According to Football Insider, the 49ers are still eyeing a last-minute move for Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon before Monday’s transfer deadline.
The report claims that Farke wants to add multiple new attackers to his squad before the summer transfer window slams shut, including another winger on top of the addition of Okafor from Milan.
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It states that they remain long-term admirers of Solomon heading into the final days of the transfer window, suggesting that a last-gasp deal could still be on the cards.
Football Insider adds that the Israel international, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road, is ‘certain’ to move on from Spurs before the end of the window.
It is now up to Leeds to make an offer for the winger in the coming days in an attempt to bring him back to West Yorkshire, whether that is on loan or on a permanent basis, as he could be an even better option than Okafor.
Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon
The Whites should look to bring the Israel international back to Elland Road because he has the potential to be an even better option than the former Milan man on the left flank, for a number of reasons.
Firstly, Solomon may be more reliable when it comes to staying fit. He only missed four games through injury last season, per Transfermarkt, whilst Okafor was absent for 13 matches for Milan and Napoli combined.
This means that he may be more likely to be available week-in-week-out for Farke in a gruelling Premier League campaign that may test the fitness levels of the players as they fight relegation.
Of course, Solomon’s quality on the pitch is another reason why he could offer more than Okafor on the left wing this season, given what he displayed in the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.
xG
8.14
Top 8%
Goals
10
Top 6%
Shots on target
25
Top 12%
xA
10.30
Top 1%
Chances created
67
Top 5%
Assists
12
Top 3%
As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee was one of the best wingers in the division at scoring and creating goals, with 22 goals and assists combined in total.
Meanwhile, Okafor has not registered more than 20 goal contributions in a single season, per Sofascore, and has not produced more than nine since the 2022/23 campaign with RB Salzburg, who were a dominant force in Austrian football at the time.
This suggests that Solomon, who was described as “unplayable” by ex-Leeds boss Neil Redfearn last term, has the potential to provide a greater threat at the top end of the pitch from a left wing position, because of both his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.
Finally, the Tottenham forward is also experienced in England and has played in the Premier League with Fulham and Spurs, as well as in the Championship with Leeds, which means that he could hit the ground running in the top-flight.
Therefore, Solomon may be an even better option than Okafor, who has no prior experience in England, a patchy fitness record, and a lack of consistency in the final third in recent years, which is why the club should be pushing to sign him.