Noah Okafor explains how the 'crazy' Leeds United fans blew his mind ahead of transfer

New Leeds United signing Noah Okafor has explained how the Leeds United fanbase blew his mind ahead of his transfer from AC Milan.

The Whites have now completed their ninth signing of the 2025 summer transfer window with Noah Okafor completing his move from AC Milan.

Leeds fans have reacted positively following the announcement of Okafor’s arrival, as Daniel Farke has finally bolstered his front line, after signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin on a free transfer last week.

Okafor admitted that he watched Leeds’ opening game of the season against Everton and was impressed with what he saw, as Lukas Nmecha scored the decisive penalty to the delight of a vociferous Elland Road crowd.

Now, the Swiss international has shared the role the Leeds fanbase played in convincing him to join the club, having played in front of them in pre-season.

Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images

Noah Okafor was blown away by the Leeds United fans

Speaking in his first video as a Leeds United player on the club’s YouTube channel, Okafor admitted that he had been impressed by the size of the club’s support when he ran out for AC Milan at the Aviva Stadium.

According to Okafor, his mind was blown when the official attendance was displayed on the big screen, as more than 50,000 fans watched the game.

Discussing his first impressions of the Leeds fanbase, Okafor said: “I was like, what? Why so many fans at a friendly game?

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“And then I saw on the screen it was like 55 or 56,000 fans. From 55 it was like 53, or 52 was Leeds fans, and three [thousand] were Milan fans. So I was like, whoa. And it was quite loud. But I heard in the stadium [Elland Road], the atmosphere should be crazy.”

Asked if the fans’ enthusiasm helped make his decision, he added: “I think also, yeah. For me, the most important part is to hear about my feelings inside, to be as comfortable as possible.

“And I spoke with the coach, which was also quite important for me, with the Sporting Director, of course, with my family and the closest people around me. So, since I had this feeling, I was always positive, and I think, yeah, I should do it. And yeah, I’m really, very excited.”

Okafor shone against Premier League champions in pre-season

Although Okafor has never played in the Premier League, he has impressed against English opposition in the past, particularly in the current pre-season campaign.

AC Milan met Liverpool in a pre-season friendly at the Hong Kong Football Festival, and the Italian giants secured a 4-2 win over the defending English champions.

Okafor came on at half-time and stole the show with a dazzling cameo, playing a role in three second-half goals for AC Milan as they tore Liverpool to shreds.

After playing a key pass in the buildup to a goal from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Okafor scored two goals of his own, including a brilliant volley with his right foot from inside the box.

While pre-season form is never a perfect indicator of how the season will pan out, Okafor showed enough in the games against Liverpool and Leeds that he is more than cut out for the English top flight.

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