Ilia Gruev signs for Leeds United, official announcement to come Thursday
Ilia Gruev has signed his Leeds United contract at Elland Road and the club are set to announce his arrival later on Thursday, according to LUFCFANZONE.
The Whites-focused online outlet, who Andrea Radrizzani confirmed had sources at the club last season, reported via Twitter Thursday afternoon (31 August) that the Bulgarian midfielder had just left the ground after completing the transfer and carrying out media duties.
His arrival from Werder Bremen is set to be made official later the same day as the club continue to bolster central midfield after Ethan Ampadu’s mid-summer arrival from Chelsea.
He arrives a day after Djed Spence completed a loan move from Tottenham and a week after the big-money capture of Joel Piroe from Swansea City.
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Another central midfielder was a crucial addition before the window shuts because Daniel Farke can’t start Ampadu and Archie Gray every game for an entire season.
It looks like Glen Kamara should finally be coming in as well [Four Lads Had A Dream, 31 August] so the manager’s options will be boosted significantly by the final days before the deadline.
Amid various drama surrounding the other midfield pursuits from Germany in Nadiem Amiri and Ao Tanaka it looks like the Gruev deal has gone through pretty serenely.
Leeds United have been forced to play catch up in the final weeks of the window after a whole host of players left over the summer, leaving the squad threadbare and struggling to cope with an injury crisis.
But with Piroe, Joe Rodon, Spence, and now Gruev brought in belatedly things are looking much brighter and it is expected that further work should still get done before the deadline.
If everything goes to plan it will leave Farke with a far healthier playing staff than the one he has presided over so far.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites have been tipped to make three signings on deadline day with business going right up to 11pm.