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Noah Okafor is proving crucial as Leeds’ performances finally turn into points

April 26, 2026
Opinion

Leeds United got their first look at Noah Okafor on a sunny August afternoon in Dublin at the Aviva Stadium, just a week before the Premier League season kicked off. The Swiss winger was still with AC Milan, and he turned heads as he marauded up and down the wing. It was Okafor’s smart backheel that set up the chance for Santiago Giménez to open the scoring, in a game that would end 1-1. Just 11 days later, Leeds moved quickly to sign him for £18 million.

A signing that always felt like it could shift the balance

The 25-year-old’s arrival in West Yorkshire was met with a mixture of optimism, tempered by concerns around his injury record. Seven months on, those doubts have eased. Okafor has become an integral part of Daniel Farke’s side, almost the missing piece to complement the solid foundations this side have put in place.

You only need to look at his brace and overall display at Manchester United on matchday 32 to understand that.

 

Yes, it was Leeds’ first league win at Old Trafford since 1981, but more importantly, it gave them genuine breathing room in the battle to avoid relegation. If you are betting online on Premier League relegation markets, you will see as much, with Farke’s side now out at around 16/1 to go down.

Leeds have been better than their position suggests

Okafor’s return from injury has coincided with Leeds finally putting daylight between themselves and the bottom three. There has been a sense for a while that their performances have deserved more than their position suggested. It would have been a harsh outcome if they had gone down, given how competitive they have been, but that risk is now beginning to fade as results start to follow.

That is backed up by the underlying numbers. Leeds are averaging around 1.40 xG per game, which places them firmly in mid-table territory, not among the sides you would expect to be cut adrift at the bottom. The gap between their expected output and actual goals scored tells its own story. They have left chances on the pitch.

In simple terms, the opportunities have been there. What has been missing at times is the ability to turn those moments into goals, particularly in tight games, as was evident in recent matches against Crystal Palace and Brentford. 

From raw threat to decisive influence

That lack of creativity disappeared in the opening five minutes at Old Trafford as Okafor broke the deadlock and scored Leeds’ first league goal in four games. It’s easy to see why. As a left winger, Okafor offers a directness and willingness to carry the ball that Leeds have lacked at key moments. Earlier in the season, there were flashes of that threat, with his ability to beat defenders and stretch games making him one of their most dangerous outlets. The raw tools have never been in doubt.

 

What has perhaps been overlooked is the work behind it. The 25-year-old has spoken openly about the effort required to reach the physical level needed to repeat high-intensity sprints throughout a game, something he has worked on relentlessly away from matchdays. That capacity to keep going, to offer an outlet again and again, is what turns promising moments into sustained pressure.

It also explains why his impact now feels more consistent. Where Leeds once had moments, they are now starting to have control, particularly down the left side, where his pace and movement continue to stretch defences late into games.

Now, with fitness and rhythm finally in place, Leeds are beginning to see the return. The foundations were always there. Okafor has simply helped turn them into point

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