Leeds United youngster lifts lid on Elland Road dressing room and 'tough' first-team assessment — YEP 18/10/23

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Fringe member of the Leeds United first-team squad Darko Gyabi has spoken candidly about his battle for more senior minutes at Elland Road this season.

By Joe Donnohue

The 19-year-old was tipped over the summer to play a bit-part role under Daniel Farke in the 2023/24 Championship, but has so far been restricted to cup appearances, stoppage time introductions from the substitutes’ bench and run-outs at Under-21 level. In his place, fellow England youth international and central midfielder Archie Gray has emerged as the individual player stepping up from Premier League 2 football last season.

Gyabi joined Leeds in a £5 million deal from Manchester City last summer, spending his first 12 months at Elland Road as a standout in Michael Skubala’s PL2 promotion-winning Under-21 group. Following an exodus of first-team figures at Thorp Arch, Gyabi was backed to cement his place in Farke’s plans this season, but the reality of doing so has been much harder than many will have envisaged, not least the player himself.

Speaking to England Under-20s’ official matchday programme on international duty, Gyabi has opened up on his progress this season and what he needs to do to establish himself as a first-team player at Elland Road.

"Leeds has been great. It's my second season and I'm still trying to break into the first team but there have been a lot of people around me who have been helpful,” he said.

"I've played a couple of first team games and now it's up to me to push for more and try and nail down that first team spot. The Championship is a tough, tough league. There have been quite a few changes at the club in the past few years but this season we've got a new challenge after going down last season.

“The players are really together now and although it's going to be tough to do that [win promotion], I think we're on the right path,” Gyabi added, lifting the lid on the spirit within the senior dressing room, which he has occasionally been a part of this season.

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