‘He Has To Decide’ – Daniel Farke Unwilling To Be Drawn On Leeds United Star’s NT Call | OneFootball

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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has revealed that Noah Okafor came to inform him about his decision to step away from the Switzerland national team and insists the call was the winger’s alone to make.

Okafor has dominated the headlines after announcing his decision to step away from the Switzerland national team due to a breakdown in trust with manager Murat Yakin.

In a lengthy post on Instagram, the Leeds winger announced that he no longer wants to play for the national team, citing broken trust and unkept promises from coach Yakin.

The 26-year-old said in his post that he was deeply hurt and was lashed out at even for small mistakes, adding that he does not want to play under Yakin.

Okafor made only one appearance for Switzerland at the World Cup, featuring for only 19 minutes, as Yakin guided the country to a strong tournament performance which saw them reach the quarter-finals.

Leeds boss Farke revealed that Okafor spoke to him personally before making his decision, with the German appreciating that the forward explained his reasons and kept him informed.

Farke stressed that the decision was ultimately Okafor’s, with the Leeds boss accepting that the Swiss forward has to determine what is best for him at this stage of his career.

He suggested that the current season could feel like a ‘home year’ for Okafor, with the player expected to feel comfortable and appreciated at Elland Road while taking on an important role in the squad.

However, Farke made it clear that he does not want to influence Okafor’s decision regarding his international career.

Speaking in a press conference (7:09), he said: “He came to inform me and explain the reason why and I appreciate that he spoke with me beforehand and I was well informed.

“It was more or less Noah’s decision and he has to decide what’s best at this stage of his career.

“All I can say is, this will more or less like a home year for Noah, where he feels really comfortable and appreciated and for us he will be a key player.

“What he decides for his international career, for his national team, that’s totally up to him and I don’t want to get in the way and give too many recommendations.

Okafor joined Leeds during the summer transfer window of 2025 from Italian side AC Milan and the Swiss winger has since established himself as an important player in Farke’s squad.