Leeds United are currently without four first team players to potentially lengthy absences.
Gateano Berardi will be out for a lot of time, according to his Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Berardi had only just returned from a six week lay-off when he picked up another injury in Leeds’ 2-0 win against Ipswich Town nine days ago.
Asked how long the Swiss defender is likely to be out for this time, Bielsa – who later suggested he does not envisage a pre-January return – told Leeds Live: “A lot of time. It’s not a simple injury.
“I don’t know how to explain it, the level of the tendon, the muscle, went to the other body. The muscle had turned around the tendon.
“But I will ask the head of medicine to give you the information because i know I made a mistake explaining it. I’m just repeating what I’ve been told and maybe I’m not precise enough.”
And it is bad news, too, for Izzy Brown, the forward borrowed by Leeds from Chelsea at the end of the summer transfer window.
Signed whilst injured, Brown has yet to play for his temporary employers.
And it will be at least two months until the 21-year-old is ready to make an appearance, with Bielsa adding: “The fact that he will be able to come inside the group soon is less important than being able to know when he will play with the team.
“I think he will be able to compete in the new year.”
Leeds, who also have Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford missing through injury, will hope that Brown can have a similar impact on their campaign as he did after joining Huddersfield in January 2016 – a campaign which ended in the Terriers’ promotion via the Championship play-offs.
Do Leeds need to strengthen in the January transfer window – and if so, where?
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