Leeds United manager Daniel Farke revealed last month that Max Wober will not be returning to training for another month and a half after suffering a knee injury.
Wober sustained his injury during the last FIFA international window while on international duty for Austria. The defender recently returned to training earlier last month but suffered another setback in his rehabilitation process.
Although losing Wober is a blow to Leeds’ center-back depth, the Whites’ injury crisis has thinned their midfield. Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev have been out for quite a while, and the two players have also suffered knee injuries.
Farke revealed last month that it would take a while and it would be at least six weeks before he could return to training with the rest of the squad.
Will Max Wober be shifted to a midfield role?
In a recent discussion, Graham Smyth and Joe Donnohue from the Yorkshire Evening Post explored the idea of using Wober as a defensive midfielder for Leeds United.
This consideration comes on the heels of a double injury setback for manager Daniel Farke, with both Ampadu and Gruev sidelined in quick succession. Now, Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell are the only senior center midfielders available.
“Once Max Wober returns to the fold, which could be weeks, do you envisage him being able to play in the defensive midfield role?” Donnohue said (h/t MOT Leeds News).
In response, Smyth said: “Interesting… I can tell you that he played defensive midfield three times in the group stages of the U21s European championship in 19/20, getting a goal and assist in those three games – two 4-0 wins and a 3-2 defeat.
“Then, playing for Rapid Vienna II, he played defensive midfield in a 2-0 win for 90 minutes and also did the same in the Europa League against Genk but that was in 2016.
“I don’t want to underestimate the Championship and suggest that just because he’s played at a higher level, he can do a job there. I don’t know. He probably has the technical ability to do so because he’s quite a good passer and he has the defensive capabilities. Maybe.”
