Plymouth Argyle and Wayne Rooney may have new Leeds United fear after Cheikhou Kouyate twist — Football League World 15/10/24

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By Adam Le Roux

There will be more than just a few Plymouth Argyle fans with one eye on happenings at Elland Road of late, with the news that a move for Cheikhou Kouyate has reportedly fallen through.

The Whites looked set to sign the 34-year-old as midfield cover on a short-term contract, with the former Nottingham Forest man currently a free agent following his departure from the City Ground in the summer.

But the latest report from Football Insider claims that any move from Daniel Farke’s side has hit the skids, with the Whites set to consider alternative options following their recent injury crisis leaving them short in the middle of the park.

That brings Argyle’s loanee Darko Gyabi back into the forefront after a strong start to the season at Home Park, with those of a green persuasion hoping he remains a Pilgrim despite the ongoing issues in Yorkshire.

After reports gathered pace at the end of last week, Kouyate looked set for a move to Elland Road, with player and club said to have held talks about a short-term move to Yorkshire.

The latest update now says that United are not planning to hold any more talks with the midfielder, who has featured for West Ham United and Crystal Palace in the Premier League during his career.

That will leave Farke considering his options once again, with Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu both reportedly ruled out for the foreseeable future with their respective setbacks.

With AFC Bournemouth loanee Joe Rothwell and summer signing Ao Tanaka currently being deployed in the engine room, the Whites will be weighing up their options in terms of midfield personal, with more than one eye likely to be on Argyle and Gyabi as it stands.

Gyabi rejoined Argyle on loan this summer, having joined the Pilgrims for the second half of the previous campaign.

After injury curtailed his first stint with the Greens, the former Manchester City man has become something of an ever-present under Argyle boss Wayne Rooney, having started eight of their nine league games this season.

With the former Birmingham City boss finding a role for the England youth international that suits his high energy impact and technical ability, he has since shone in his role alongside Adam Randell and Rami Al Hajj in the midfield at Home Park.

A goal on international duty against Italy under-20s last week further proved just what a rich vein of form the young star is in at the moment, with a well-taken strike from outside the area highlighting another area of his game which is yet to be tapped into during is time in green.

Although Argyle fans will be loving every second of their borrowed star taking the limelight, the possibility that his performances could tempt Leeds into a January recall must be in the back of a number of the Green Army’s minds.

There will be memories of Finn Azaz and Luke Cundle flashing through their minds, with the pair being recalled by Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively last January, which ultimately derailed the Pilgrims’ season, alongside the arrival of Ian Foster in the dugout.

Farke has already dismissed any chance of the loanee being recalled earlier this month, but with a move for Kouyate now seemingly off the cards, that situation could have been changed since being questioned two weeks ago.

Having improved week on week since the start of the season, Gyabi is thriving in his role at Home Park, with his surging runs from midfield becoming more frequent, now his defensive responsibilities have been altered.

With a focus on pressing higher up, the United loanee has been able to focus more on playing front-foot football, and his link up play with the attacking players blossoming as a result.

With that in mind, a year of full-time, first-team football in Devon would likely be the best thing for his career at this moment, but with Leeds down to their knees in terms of midfield personnel, there will plenty of fingers crossed that Farke can sort the situation without having to recall the 20-year-old.

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