Leeds United set for transfer U-turn over 92-cap international midfielder | OneFootball

Leeds United have pencilled in a medical to complete the signing of a 34-year-old free agent

Cheikhou Kouyaté is set to undergo a medical at Leeds United ahead of a proposed move to the Championship side.

That is according to a report from Football Insider, with the Whites making the decision to sign the midfielder amid a significant injury crisis in that area of Daniel Farke’s squad.

It was initially reported that a deal between the two parties had collapsed over the weekend, leading to the plug being pulled on a move.

Kouyaté is currently a free agent following the end of his two-year stint at Nottingham Forest at the conclusion of the previous campaign.

The Senegal international featured 12 times in the Premier League last season for the Reds as they finished 17th in the table.

Leeds United set to sign Cheikhou Kouyaté on a free transfer

Leeds are closing in on the signing of Kouyaté after the decision was made to return to their pursuit of the player.

Kouyaté has been without a club since July, which has led to some concerns over his immediate fitness levels.

However, injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev have left the Yorkshire outfit short in midfield for the rest of 2024 as they eye a promotion fight for a place in the Premier League this season.

Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka have taken up their places in the starting lineup, with Charlie Cresswell being the only other reasonable alternative in the squad.

It has been reported by The Athletic that Ampadu will be absent for up to 10 weeks, meaning a comeback won’t be likely until January, meanwhile the Yorkshire Evening Post have claimed it could take Gruev five months to return to full fitness.

Their absences have come as a huge blow to Leeds, with the pair proving key figures in the team in the opening weeks of the campaign.

This has led to the decision to sign Kouyaté as a free agent, with a medical now pencilled in ahead of his arrival.

Leeds United’s promotion ambition

Leeds narrowly missed out on an immediate return to the top flight last year after losing the play-off final, having come third in the Championship table.

The Whites will be looking to go one step further this year by earning a top two spot, although they face stiff competition from the likes of Sunderland, Burnley, Sheffield United and West Brom, among others.

A 2-2 draw with the Black Cats prior to the October international break has left them fifth in the table after nine games.

Next up for Farke’s side is a clash against Sheffield United on 18 October in an 8pm kick-off.

Cheikhou Kouyaté will provide much-needed midfield cover for Leeds United

Leeds could have potentially managed without Kouyaté coming in, but his arrival acts as insurance against a further injury crisis.

A short-term deal is the ideal scenario, as anything more than a season or two could prove to be a risky move for the club.

The 34-year-old may need a few weeks to get back up to full match fitness, meaning Rothwell and Tanaka will still be relied upon in the coming fixtures, and there’s still a chance for Crew to break into the team.

But it does ease the pressure on Gruev and Ampadu to come back to the squad as quickly as possible, knowing there is now some much-needed extra cover in the squad until at least the January window.