Leeds United forward Noah Okafor only returned to pre-season training last week after being given an extended break after the World Cup.
The Switzerland international only played in one of his country’s six games at the World Cup this summer, as they were knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals.
He did not play in any part in the 4-2 win over Liverpool or the 2-0 win over RB Leipzig in the last two pre-season friendlies for Daniel Farke‘s side.
The 26-year-old star may feature against Manchester United and Augsburg in the next two friendlies before the Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest later this month.
What Noah Okafor needs to improve on this season
Okafor enjoyed a strong debut season with Leeds in the top-flight after he was signed from AC Milan for a fee of £18m in the previous summer transfer window.
He scored eight goals from 5.26 xG in 19 starts in the Premier League for Farke, either playing off the left as a winger or in one of the number ten positions behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The Swiss star needs to improve his use of the ball as a creator for the Whites in the upcoming top-flight season, though, as he struggled in that respect last term.
|
25/26 Premier League |
Noah Okafor |
Rank vs LWs |
|---|---|---|
|
xA |
1.32 |
Bottom 40% |
|
Chances created |
20 |
Top 49% |
|
Big chances created |
4 |
Top 48% |
|
Cross success rate |
18.9% |
Bottom 44% |
|
Pass accuracy |
76.2% |
Bottom 19% |
|
Assists |
1 |
Bottom 22% |
Okafor ranked lowly among his positional peers in a host of creative metrics in the league in the 2025/26 campaign, recording just one assist in 28 appearances in the division.
Therefore, the winger needs to create more for his teammates if he wants to be a complete forward for the Whites in the Premier League moving forward, as he already offers an impressive goal threat.
Leeds willing to pay £30m for Noah Okafor upgrade
Meanwhile, the club are looking to bring in another player on the left flank who could arrive at Elland Road as an even more complete attacker than Okafor.
According to Foot Mercato, Leeds United are interested in a deal to sign winger Igor Paixao from Marseille before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the 49ers would be willing to pay a fee of up to £30m to sign the attacker to bolster Farke’s squad ahead of the new season.
However, it adds that the Ligue 1 side are currently wanting a fee of closer to £42m to allow him to leave, which means that there may have to be a compromise from both teams for a deal to be done in the coming weeks.
The Whites should be pushing to reach a compromise with Marseille because Paixao would be a terrific addition to the attack as a forward who is even more complete than Okafor.
His form for the French outfit in the 2025/26 campaign shows that he has the ability to both score and create goals whilst cutting in on his right foot from the left flank.
|
25/26 Ligue 1 |
Paixao |
Rank vs LWs |
|---|---|---|
|
Goals |
6 |
Top 21% |
|
Shots |
57 |
Top 12% |
|
Key passes |
29 |
Top 25% |
|
Big chances created |
5 |
Top 32% |
|
xA |
2.64 |
Top 31% |
|
Assists |
5 |
Top 13% |
Paixao, described as “explosive” by Connor McGilligan, reached double figures for goal contributions for Marseille with six goals and five assists, ranking highly among his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Meanwhile, no Leeds player reached at least five goals and five assists in the Premier League last season, which suggests that the Brazilian star could be far more complete than the options Farke had at his disposal last year.
He is certainly more complete than Okafor on the evidence of last season, as the Swiss star struggled for creativity, and could offer a dual threat as a scorer and a creator in the final third for the Whites.
Prior to signing for Marseille last summer, the 26-year-old forward scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 47 appearances for Feyenoord in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.
His form in the Netherlands shows that he has a history of scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis, which means that his form for Marseille was not a flash in the pan.
Paixao has a history of scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis in respectable European leagues in the Netherlands and France, and he could arrive at Elland Road as an incredibly exciting attacking addition.
That is why the 49ers must work hard to reach an agreement with Marseille to bring the forward to West Yorkshire, so that Farke has an even more complete left-wing option than Okafor at his disposal.
