Phil Hay has reported that Robin Koch's injury is worse than initially feared. The centre-back was substituted off after just nine minutes into their latest match against Chelsea on Saturday. In what was described as a simple dead leg now requires the defender to undergo surgery on his knee.

The Athletic reporter posted on his Twitter about the 'bad news' that there is currently no recovery date but he is expected to be ruled out 'for the time being'.

Koch's injury will require fellow summer signing Diego Llorente to step up to the plate and prove his worth to both Marcelo Bielsa and Nick Hammond.

Llorente has big shoes to fill

Despite the fact Koch is also a new recruit, he has slotted into Bielsa's squad like he has been at Elland Road for years. The German has been ever-present since his arrival and has become a favoured partner to captain Liam Cooper.

Leeds were unable to hold onto their early lead at the weekend as Chelsea's attack cancelled out Patrick Bamford's early opener. Llorente replaced Koch, making his first appearance for his new club but it wasn't the ideal start to his career in England.

Now, he has chance to make amends for the Chelsea loss as he steps in alongside Cooper. With no time length specified for Koch's recovery, the £13.5million-rated centre-back could be relied on for several weeks. If this is the case, he must ensure he makes his opportunities count or he risks being sidelined once his teammate returns from injury.

The Whites will face West Ham in their next fixture at Elland Road and Llorente will have his chance to establish himself in his new team.

In other Leeds news, Kalvin Phillips' "perfect" moment will have Bielsa feeling positive...