Leeds United’s Struijk Out for Season with Foot Injury

LEEDS, England – Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk will miss the remainder of the season due to a foot injury sustained in recent play. The 25-year-old Dutch international, who has made 35 appearances this Championship season, was injured during a 1-1 draw against Luton Town on April 5, 2025.

Leeds head coach Daniel Farke confirmed the severity of Struijk’s injury on April 11, stating, “Thank God, he doesn’t need surgery, but he will definitely be out for about 10 weeks. He will just be ready when pre-season starts for next season.” Struijk’s absence is significant; he has been a crucial part of Leeds’ defense, which has only conceded 28 goals this season.

In addition to Struijk, winger Dan James will also miss the upcoming match against Preston North End due to a hamstring injury. Farke reported James’s injury after he had scored the decisive goal in Leeds’ recent victory against Middlesbrough. “He came out with some hamstring problems, so this will rule him out definitely for the game this weekend,” Farke added.

With five games remaining in the season, Leeds United currently sits at the top of the Championship table, level on points with Burnley but ahead on goal difference. The team is closely followed by Sheffield United, who are just two points behind. Farke’s squad faces a challenging final stretch as they aim for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Max Wober replaced Struijk during the match against Luton, and Farke indicated that Wober or Ethan Ampadu would likely fill the gap left by Struijk for the upcoming fixtures. Ampadu, who returned from a knee injury in late March, has also been mentioned as a possible option in the center-back position.

“Our medical department will try everything to get the players fit for the upcoming games, but it will definitely be a tight race,” Farke said, also noting midfielder Joe Rothwell’s injury status. Rothwell is expected to miss more games due to his ongoing injury problems.

The upcoming match against Preston North End is set for this Saturday, presenting a crucial moment for Leeds as they strive to maintain their top position in the league.