Leeds United faced Wrexham in their opening pre-season friendly having named a squad that included several notable absentees. The visitors were without eight first-team players, with at least four kept out for medical reasons and others unavailable through rest or late arrival.
Key Leeds absentees and reasons
The club reported a mixture of injury setbacks and scheduled rests among those missing from the travelling party. The absences listed by reports include:
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin — described as having "sustained a minor pre-season setback" and currently training alone while building towards rejoining full training.
- Jaka Bijol — missed out with a knee knock.
- Sebastiaan Bornauw — had a minor issue and was not risked for the fixture.
- Ilia Gruev — whose 2025–26 campaign finished early due to a meniscus knee injury; although included in the USA tour group, his return to full fitness is expected to take time.
- Noah Okafor — granted an extended break after reaching the World Cup quarter-final with Switzerland and therefore not named in the travelling squad.
- Brenden Aaronson — listed in the tour squad but had not yet joined the group and was anticipated to link up later in the tour.
The combination of niggles and internationally imposed rest periods left Leeds with a depleted matchday group for their first friendly of pre-season against Wrexham.
Local implications for Wrexham
For Wrexham, hosting a Championship side short of several first-team players presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Friendlies at this stage of the summer are predominantly about fitness, factional competition and bedding in new ideas rather than the final result; the absence of key Leeds figures is likely to have altered the balance of the fixture and given younger or fringe players on both sides more minutes.
From a supporters' and civic perspective, fixtures like this remain significant for the city. They bring higher-profile visitors to the Racecourse Ground, provide a test for the playing squad and give local fans the chance to watch top-level professionals in their town. At the same time, any pre-season injury to visitors — or to Wrexham players in matches against them — is watched closely given the proximity of competitive fixtures later in summer.
What the absence list shows about Leeds' pre-season
Leeds’ decision to withhold or rest certain players reflects the club’s efforts to manage recovery from the previous season and to protect players coming off late international duty. The inclusion of players such as Gruev in touring parties despite lingering issues indicates a cautious approach: integrating injured players into group environments while allowing them time to complete rehabilitation.
| Player | Reason absent |
|---|---|
| Dominic Calvert-Lewin | Minor pre-season setback; training alone |
| Jaka Bijol | Knee knock |
| Sebastiaan Bornauw | Minor issue; not risked |
| Ilia Gruev | Meniscus knee injury; return may take time |
| Noah Okafor | Extended break after World Cup |
| Brenden Aaronson | Not yet linked up with touring group |
"sustained a minor pre-season setback"
For Wrexham’s management and supporters, the fixture will be judged on the usefulness of match minutes and how the squad responded to the differing strengths of an opposition still managing fitness and availability. For Leeds, the absences underline the balancing act clubs face in pre-season: preparing for the campaign ahead while guarding against new injuries and managing players returning from international duty.
Local interest in these friendlies remains high as a barometer of readiness for the season, and both clubs will now look to the remainder of pre-season to sharpen their squads ahead of competitive commitments.
