Leeds United eye move for ex-Arsenal midfielder in search for Ampadu, Gruev replacement | OneFootball

More available bodies in the middle of the pitch are being scouted by Daniel Farke and his team.

Former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has been linked with a potential move to Leeds United, with the free agent reportedly invited to train at Thorp Arch.

The 33-year-old Frenchman has been without a club since the summer after being released by Spanish side Villarreal, but The Sun have said that he could potentially end up back in England with Leeds, who are searching for more midfielders in the free-agent market.

Two separate knee injuries to club captain Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev have ruled out the pair until the international break. They were Daniel Farke's preferred options in the deeper-lying midfield positions through the opening weeks of the season, leaving him short.

Leeds were reported to be going after another former Premier League free agent, Cheikhou Kouyate. Football Insider reported that a medical was scheduled for the player after a deal was agreed between the two parties, but they later stated that the Senegalese international had failed the medical.

Now their attention is turning to what other options are out there.

Leeds weighing up Francis Coquelin move

The ex-Arsenal man is being considered by those at Thorp Arch as a potential option to bolster Leeds' midfield group, according to The Sun. Currently, summer signings Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell are the only natural first-team options.

The national outlet further stated that, while he is being considered, Coquelin isn't the only free agent being looked at. They, too, linked Kouyate to the Whites, stating that he had been training with the team over the international break. The reported failed medical would make a move for him unlikely though.

The Sun believe that Coquelin has been invited by Farke to come train with the team. The manager admitted at Wednesday's press conference, ahead of his side's game against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United, that they were looking at various options, and added that he was "carefully optimistic" of landing one of them in the coming days and weeks.

Coquelin was with Arsenal for seven years before eventually leaving for Spain in 2018. He won the FA Cup and the Community Shield twice with the Gunners, before finding further success with Valencia and then Villarreal. The 33-year-old helped the latter to win the Europa League just four seasons ago.

Francis Coquelin could add a real presence to Leeds' midfield

The reason why a player like Coquelin would be available to a Championship club like Leeds is because of the stage of his career that he is at.

He's not on the up anymore, but a team like United may provide him with the opportunity to get back to top-flight football if he were to sign and help guide them to their Premier League return.

His pedigree is one that Leeds will struggle to find elsewhere in the free-agent market. Just last season, he played 17 times for Villarreal in La Liga.

He's played at the highest level for such a long time and won multiple major honours throughout his career. That experience and understanding of the game that he has built up over the years could be invaluable for Leeds if this is a path that they want to pursue.