Cheikhou Kouyate to Leeds United transfer update amid ‘dispute’ after Thorp Arch visit
Cheikhou Kouyate signing for Leeds United may not happen as it is unclear if either side a certain about the move, says Adam Pope.
The BBC journalist gave an update on the potential deal on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet on 14 October after the Senegal midfielder visited Thorp Arch, with the Whites in the midst of an injury crisis after Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev were ruled out long-term.
He suggested that the 34-year-old joining is by no means certain with Daniel Farke not a fan of adding free agents after the transfer window.
Pope said (4m 30s): “The big talk has been Kouyate and whether he’s going to sign or not. There seems to be some dispute as to what’s been going on here…
“As I understand it he has been round Thorp Arch but it was very much in the balance whether any deal will be done.
“We know Farke doesn’t like a free agent particularly but needs must in difficult times, so that’s not to say a deal won’t be done but it was very much in the balance. People read ‘in the balance’ as ‘eurgh, why can’t we get this one over the line!?’
“I just don’t know if they’re convinced it’s something that they want, they’re obviously interested, or whether he’s convinced maybe it’s something that he wants.”
Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev out injured at Leeds United
The circumstances are far from ideal and the preferred solution would surely be to turn to an academy player as the main back up to Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell in midfield.
Whites fans have been on edge throughout the international break hoping the Japanese summer signing comes through unscathed.
But even if the pair can avoid injury for the coming weeks it may not be so simple, when neither are especially defensive and there have been signs in the draws with Norwich and Sunderland that Leeds United could be left open in the middle with that pairing.
Granted, they seemed to tighten up as the game at Sunderland went on, and if it wasn’t for the wild Illan Meslier error in the dying moments Farke would have come away with an impressive victory at the Championship leaders.
Kouyate would certainly bring some peace of mind in the first instance, knowing there was another experienced option available.
But if he isn’t deemed capable of doing what Farke would require him for there would be no use in doing a deal.
On paper the former West Ham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest man looks like an obvious option to cover at the base of midfield, and even step in as an emergency centre-back with Ampadu out and Max Wober also unavailable for much of this season so far.
Kouyate has still been capped by his country this year and was technically a Premier League player up until the end of last season, although his involvement with Forest was minimal last term so it may be that he isn’t likely to match fit in time to be of much use.
In other Leeds United news, a Jurgen Klopp appearance could signal Red Bull’s takeover intentions.
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