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Bulgaria's 2025 Footballer of the Year, Ilia Gruev, is set to make his return to action today after a four-month layoff due to a knee injury. The midfielder will feature in Leeds United's U21 match against Middlesbrough.
Gruev sustained the injury during training in April, forcing him to miss the remainder of the Premier League season. He has since made a full recovery and has been training with the Leeds first team for several weeks. Manager Daniel Farke confirmed the Bulgarian is in good physical condition and that his return to the senior squad is imminent.
Recent speculation suggested Gruev might be included in Leeds' squad for the Newcastle clash, but Farke is keen to avoid rushing him back. The Bulgarian international will start for the U21 side against Middlesbrough, and if all goes well, there will be no obstacle to his inclusion in Leeds' upcoming Premier League fixtures.
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