Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch offers positive injury update on several key players

With Patrick Bamford's recovery from hernia surgery dragging on, coach Jesse Marsch is not expecting any players back for the opening game of 2023, but he is hopeful the likes of Adam Forshaw, Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville will be in a better place for the minutes they had over Christmas.

With Harrison and Summerville available again and Willy Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson in decent form, Leeds are well served with players behind the centre-forward but they paid £1m for the Colombian this summer to take their game to another level, something he has not yet been able to do in any more than flashes.

Injuries have limited the 23-year-old to just six Premier League starts and three substitute appearances. He has scored twice in them, and against Barnsley in the League Cup.

A rare "Lisfranc injury" in his foot has kept him out since October's home defeat to Fulham but Marsch is hopeful the end is in sight.

"Luis is making very good progress," he said. "He's been on the pitch doing a lot of individual work, which is the next big phase for him.

"I would think maybe in about a week he will be with the team. His injury is strange so it's not quite clear how it's going to respond but right now there's a lot of positive signs, which is great for us."

The expectation had been that "minor" surgery for Bamford, who has been dogged by a variety of injury problems since September 2021, would have allowed him to play a full part when the Premier League resumed after the World Cup, but this has not been the case.

"I think he's been generally positive and hopeful that this surgery is the solution," commented Marsch.

"Obviously he is disappointed it's taking longer than we hoped but we still have big hope that this will be a difference-maker in terms of getting him to 100 per cent."

Midfielder Forshaw made his first two Premier League starts of the season against Manchester City and Newcastle United, but was substituted at half-time in the second of those so as not to ask too much, too soon of him.

Likewise, Harrison returned from illness at St James' Park but did not play the full 90 minutes, and fellow winger Summerville was limited to 20 minutes on Tyneside.

"I think it's about the communication of what the expectations are for each player and where they stand with different things, then encouraging them to be ready for all moments," explained Marsch.

"With playing time comes more rhythm but then managing fatigue at the same time is important.

"We'll have to assess where we are for West Ham with a few guys and make sure we're clear on exactly what we need for match.

"This is always the challenge of professional football, keeping an entire squad engaged and sharp and ready.

"But it's been great to see how Willy's played, he's been fantastic, and getting Adam Forshaw into the mix is good."

Leeds' first January signing Max Wober will not feature against the Hammers as he waits for a work permit and international clearance.

The Whites' next game is at Cardiff City in the FA Cup on Sunday and they return to league action at Aston Villa on January 13.

Stuart Dallas continues to work behind the scenes on his rehabilitation from a broken leg and Marsch says Leeds are "close" to naming a replacement for coach Mark Jackson, who has taken over at Milton Keynes Dons.