Leeds Utd exploring free signing of midfielder with nearly 300 Premier League appearances

A second source has confirmed Leeds United are sizing up an ultra-experienced free agent midfielder and the very latest report claims an agreement has been struck.

With a clean bill of health Daniel Farke’s go-to midfield pairing comprises Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev. Unfortunately for the Leeds boss, both players are currently sidelined with serious knee injuries. Ampadu has been ruled out until 2025, while Gruev, according to Bulgaria national team manager Ilian Iliev, will miss “about five months” of action.

A prior report from The Yorkshire Post earlier in October claimed Leeds had begun to explore the free agent market in lieu of their injury crisis. Free agents can be signed and registered outside of the transfer windows.

Among those Leeds were reportedly casting their eye over was veteran midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, formerly of West Ham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. Kouyate, 34, left Forest last summer and has remained without a club since.

Per the latest from The Yorkshire Evening Post, Kouyate is indeed a player Leeds are taking a look at.

Farke had previously highlighted the perils of signing free agents mid-season when referring to how long it could take for the player to get up to speed.

But given Ampadu and Gruev aren’t expected to feature again in 2024 and the January window is almost three months away, a free agent swoop is beginning to make more and more sense.

A subsequent update from reporter Graeme Bailey on Friday evening claimed Leeds have agreed terms with Kouyate. A medical has also reportedly been passed.

Farke concerned about current Leeds options

Farke went with Bournemouth loanee Joe Rothwell and summer signing Ao Tanaka in his engine room last time out against Sunderland.

The pair performed well and but for an inexplicable late error from Illan Meslier, The Whites would have secured all three points.

Nonetheless, The YEP noted Farke harbours reservations about a Rothwell-Tanaka pairing given both players are expansive and attack-minded players.

YEP reporter Graham Smyth stated: ‘Farke’s immediate answer to the defensive midfield problem came in the form of two number 8s at Sunderland, with Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka filling in for their more defensive-minded colleagues.

‘The German believes he has two of the best passers in the division in Bournemouth loanee Rothwell and summer signing Tanaka, but has revealed they will need to work on positioning to give Leeds the defensive cover and control they need.’

Kouyate – a veteran of 291 Premier League appearances across three clubs – looks like he’ll provide the solution.

READ MORE: The 10 most expensive Leeds United sales of all time, including Man Utd and Barcelona deals

How Kouyate compares to Gruev and Ampadu

Ampadu and Gruev both joined Leeds United in the summer of 2023 and enjoyed impressive debut seasons at Elland Road.

Ampadu started all of their league games in the run to the Championship play-off final and Gruev made 32 league appearances throughout the season.

The Wales international averaged 1.6 successful tackles and 2.2 clearances per 90 minutes, while Gruev averaged 2.3 successful tackles and 0.6 clearances per 90 minutes in 2023/24.

Kouyate didn’t feature much for Nottingham Forest last season but did make 21 Premier League appearances for the club in the 2022/23 season.

He averaged 3.0 successful tackles per 90 minutes in the Premier League that season and also made 2.4 clearances per 90 minutes, which puts him ahead of the Leeds duo.

Kouyate also comes out on top for successful aerial duels as his record of 1.8 per 90 minutes is better than Ampadu’s (1.4) and Gruev’s (0.9).

But the Senegal international isn’t renowned for his on-the-ball qualities as he made just 25.1 passes per 90 minutes in 2022/23 and had a total pass success rate of 75.5 per cent.

In comparison, Ampadu averaged 71.9 passes per 90 minutes and had an 89.1 per cent pass success rate. Gruev had a 92.6 per cent pass success rate and made 58.2 passes per 90 minutes.

Gruev and Ampadu both created 0.8 chances per 90 minutes last season and Kouyate follows closely behind with 0.7 key passes per 90.

In the final third, Gruev got a goal and an assist in 2023/24 while Ampadu registered a single assist and Kouyate scored one league goal in 2022/23.