NafisaLeeds returned to the City Ground on Tuesday night just days after beating Forest 1-0 in their Premier League opener, but this time there was even more at stake as the two sides met in the Carabao Cup.
Farke made changes to his starting XI, but Leeds still produced a disciplined and confident performance to come away with a 2-0 victory.
The result means the Whites have now beaten Forest twice at the City Ground in the space of just a few days, giving the supporters plenty more reasons to be optimistic about the start of the new campaign.
Yet while Farke’s focus was understandably on the players who helped Leeds progress, another absence once again raised questions about a player whose future at Elland Road appears increasingly clear.
Largie Ramazani was nowhere to be seen in the matchday squad.
Daniel Farke confirms Largie Ramazani is no longer part of his plans
Ramazani has not featured for Leeds since the beginning of the season and was also left out of the club’s pre-season plans.
That is becoming increasingly significant.
Farke has now explained that players who were not involved during pre-season are not part of his plans for the current campaign, effectively confirming that Ramazani has no pathway back into the first-team picture.
“He said (h/t Leeds Press): “Those not in squad in pre-season not in plans for this season. It makes no sense to involve someone who was not involved in our plans last season.”
”Where they play next season, that is up to them. No new updates.”
Those comments came after Leeds’ latest victory over Forest and provide perhaps the strongest indication yet that Ramazani is expected to find a new club before the transfer window closes.
The winger was not simply overlooked for one particular match. His continued absence from the squad points towards a wider decision from Farke, who appears to have already moved on from the 24-year-old when planning his squad for the new Premier League season.
Ramazani was sent out on loan to Valencia last season and impressed during his time in Spain. The La Liga club have since been linked with a permanent move for the winger, although an agreement between the two clubs has yet to be reached.
From Ramazani’s perspective, a return to Spain would offer him the opportunity to play regular first-team football rather than spend the season on the fringes at Leeds.
Valencia could provide Ramazani with an escape route
Ramazani already knows Valencia, having spent last season with the club, and that familiarity could make a return particularly appealing.
The player was reportedly well settled during his time in Spain and will now be keen to find a solution that allows him to get his career moving again.
There have been suggestions that Valencia would prefer to negotiate a cut-price deal, while another loan arrangement has also been mooted. However, with Farke seemingly having no intention of using Ramazani this season, a permanent transfer could ultimately make more sense for everyone involved.
Leeds have rebuilt their squad considerably since winning promotion back to the Premier League, with Farke now working with a group designed to compete at a much higher level.
The early signs have been extremely encouraging. Leeds have already secured back-to-back victories over Forest at the City Ground, and the competition for places is becoming increasingly fierce.
That leaves little room for players who have not convinced the manager during the crucial preparation period.
Ramazani now needs a permanent solution
The winger’s situation therefore appears straightforward: Farke wants to work with the players who were part of his plans during pre-season, while Ramazani needs to find somewhere he can play regularly.
His continued omission from matchday squads, including the Carabao Cup victory over Forest, only strengthens the belief that his time at Elland Road is coming to an end.
Valencia remain an obvious destination given his previous spell there, and Leeds would surely be open to finding an agreement if the right proposal arrives.
For now, Farke’s attention is firmly on the players who remain part of his plans. But Ramazani’s absence has become impossible to ignore, and with the transfer deadline approaching, his next move could soon be confirmed.
After Leeds’ latest 2-0 win over Forest, the message from Farke appears increasingly difficult to misunderstand: Ramazani is not part of the plan anymore.
Nafisa
