In news just breaking from Phil Hay on Twitter (below), Leeds United face up to starting their season without key midfielder Adam Forshaw.
Forshaw, a £3 million January buy from Middlesbrough, was seen as one of the key players to anchor Leeds United’s midfield in a slimmed-down, Marcelo Bielsa inspired Leeds United.
There were warning signs ahead of the final friendly match played last Sunday against UD Las Palmas. Forshaw not playing after reporting some discomfort in his toe. With some fans fearing the worse, rumours began to fly that he’d been seen around Elland Road sporting some sort of cast – this supposedly signifying a significant amount of time out for the influential midfielder.
Blow for Leeds United – Adam Forshaw out for six weeks through injury. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) August 3, 2018
The rumours of him supposedly wearing a cast for a toe injury were dismissed out-of-hand by many Leeds United fans who cited a mixture of bad ITK-ism and scaremongering.
However, Hay’s tweeted news, and subsequent follow-up story, proves that the original comments and fears were valid. In his story for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Hay indicates that Forshaw will be out for a spell of around six weeks whilst he recovers from ankle ligament damage.
This absence will obviously see him miss Sunday’s Sky Bet Championship opener against Stoke City at Elland Road, but could also see him miss a further six August games for the Whites.
Forshaw featured in 12 games for Leeds United in last season’s Sky Bet Championship campaign, his composure and skill on the ball making him a quick favourite for Leeds United fans.
Whilst details remain sketchy at this stage, there can be little doubt that if the prognosis is correct then Leeds United have suffered an early blow ahead of what will be a tough campaign.
