'There is a reason' — Leeds United sent Cheikhou Kouyaté transfer warning as Daniel Farke concern shared — YEP 12/10/24
By Kyle Newbould
Leeds United have been looking at free agent after losing
Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev to injury.
Carlton Palmer has warned against Leeds United signing a
short-term option like Cheikhou Kouyaté as Daniel Farke attempts to solve his
midfield injury crisis.
Leeds have been forced to weigh up the possibility of
signing a free agent after losing both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev to long-term
knee injuries earlier this month. Ampadu avoided surgery and is expected back
in the New Year but Gruev could be out until March, having gone under the knife
for a ‘significant’ meniscus issue.
Among the small group of players being ‘considered’ by Leeds
is Kouyaté, who was released by Nottingham Forest in June after playing just
over 200 Premier League minutes last season. The 34-year-old boasts more
top-flight experience than most but has not enjoyed regular football for over a
year, and Palmer doesn’t believe he can provide the solution.
"He's still without a club, and it worries me when a
player has been released from a football club in the summer and has not been
picked up, it is a problem,” Palmer told Football League World. "It might
work out in a limited period, but Daniel Farke and I both have the same
feelings about this, and he expressed his reservations about Leeds signing free
agents at this stage of the season.
Subscribe to Inside Elland Road, with Graham Smyth for
unique, behind-the-scenes Leeds United coverage, expert analysis and exclusive
interviews
"I think what Leeds have got to go is try to get
through this present moment, hopefully get one or two players back or get to
the January transfer window and move to bring some quality players in. I don't
think Kouyaté is going to come in at 34 years old and make a big impression at
Leeds with what they are planning to do for this season. As I said, with
players who have been released by a football club in the summer and haven't
been snapped up at this period of time, there is a reason for that."
The issue of match sharpness is an obvious one when looking
at free agents, particularly when the new season is two months old and in full
flow, and Leeds will emphasise focus on the fitness of Kouyaté - or any other
possible arrival - before pulling the trigger. The YEP asked Farke for his
opinion on the matter after Gruev’s injury at Norwich City and while it was not
ruled out, the Leeds boss made his concerns clear.
"If I'm really honest, I'm not a big friend of signing
players who are out of contract in the beginning of October, because it means
more or less they are out of team training since May," he said. "That
means they are out of team training since whatever, five months.
“And even if you bring them in, it lasts also a while until
they are really ready to go and fully fit and really could play first team
football and then quite often the player who is right now injured for the next
few weeks, he's even even back in perhaps and ready to go earlier than the
players who are out for since five months.
"I think quite often it's a bit like a panic buy or
like to pretend to do something anyhow. I think it's professional to check it,
and sometimes out of coincidence or out of a special situation, there could be
someone out who really suits the needs in this moment."