Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has been dealt a number of blows to his first-team squad with a string of unlucky harm points in current weeks.
Central defender Max Wober, who returned to the membership after a mortgage spell with Borussia Monchengladbach final season, has suffered a knee harm and isn’t anticipated again for one more 5 weeks or so.
In the meantime, central midfielders Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu have additionally been dealt blows as they’re set to be out of motion till 2025, each with knee accidents.
Ampadu was compelled off within the first-half of the win away at Cardiff Metropolis earlier than Gruev got here off within the first-half of the 1-1 draw away at Norwich Metropolis, which has left the Whites mild in the course of the park.
Farke’s solely senior choices in central midfield are at the moment Ao Tanaka, who’s at the moment away on worldwide responsibility with Japan, and Joe Rothwell, with each gamers having joined in the course of the summer season switch window.
This has compelled the previous Monchengladbach and Norwich head coach to think about the free agent market, with Chiekhou Kouyate rising as a potential choice for the West Yorkshire-based aspect.
Leeds United’s curiosity in Chiekhou Kouyate
The Boot Room had initially reported that the Whites had already agreed a cope with the previous Nottingham Forest enforcer, who left the Tough Timber on the finish of final season.
It was claimed that the colossus was as a consequence of endure a medical and finalise his transfer to the membership over the weekend and that that they had agreed a one-year contract, with an choice to increase it by an extra 12 months.
Nonetheless, LeedsLive adopted up on that and insisted that no deal has been struck with the 34-year-old star and that the membership are nonetheless assessing their choices within the free agent market.
LeedsLive added that Kouyate stays an lively goal for the Whites and continues to be a participant who may arrive at Elland Street to bolster their choices in the course of the park.
Nonetheless, they haven’t reached an settlement with the defensive midfielder on private phrases and a transfer for the Senegal worldwide is just not considered superior at this second in time.
Curiously, the report revealed that Kouyate is just one in every of plenty of free agent gamers the membership are monitoring with a view to probably including them to the taking part in squad to alleviate their present harm woes.
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With this in thoughts, Leeds may neglect in regards to the former West Ham United and Crystal Palace ace by swooping for fellow out-of-contract midfielder Francis Coquelin.
Why Leeds ought to swoop for Francis Coquelin
The French enforcer is just not out with a long-term harm and is, as a substitute, in search of the fitting membership to take the subsequent step in his profession, after being turned down by a number of Ligue 1 sides.
Coquelin not too long ago revealed that Montpellier and Lille each went with different targets to him after preliminary curiosity, and that he has set himself a deadline of the tip of January to discover a new group.
The 33-year-old ace left Villarreal on the finish of his contract in July and has been and not using a membership since then, after a stable exhibiting in LaLiga with the Spanish outfit.
Francis Coquelin
23/24 LaLiga
Appearances
17
Begins
10
Move accuracy
88%
Tackles + interceptions per recreation
2.1
Ball recoveries per recreation
3.5
Duels received per recreation
2.5
Stats by way of Sofascore
As you may see within the desk above, Coquelin made 17 appearances within the top-flight final time period and showcased his high quality out and in of possession, remaining composed on the ball while additionally having the ability to disrupt the opposition with tackles, interceptions, and recoveries.
All 17 of these outings additionally got here throughout the final six months of the season, after he missed the primary half of the marketing campaign with a knee harm, which implies that he has performed loads of soccer this calendar 12 months – albeit not this time period.
Coquelin was as soon as in comparison with Premier League legend N’Golo Kante by ex-boss Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, because the French boss described each gamers as ball-winners who can win possession with out committing fouls.
The 33-year-old ace, who performed 160 matches for the Gunners and 105 occasions within the Premier League, continues to stay as much as that description with 2.1 tackles and interceptions and 1.1 fouls per recreation in LaLiga final season, which reveals that he wins the ball again extra usually than he commits fouls.
Leeds should now try to steer the previous Arsenal man to return to England for a stint within the Championship, as he might be a greater choice than Kouyate, who might be notably rusty as compared.
Why Coquelin is a greater different to Kouyate
Within the 2023/24 marketing campaign, the Senegal worldwide solely made 12 appearances within the Premier League and began two matches for Nottingham Forest, earlier than his launch in the summertime.
Solely two of these outings have been within the second half of the season and he has not began a league recreation at membership degree since December 2023, ten months in the past.
Because of this it may take Kouyate a very long time to get again on top of things and to be able to function for Leeds, whereas Coquelin was taking part in repeatedly for Villarreal in LaLiga – one in every of Europe’s main leagues – within the second half of final time period.
Due to this fact, the French free agent may make extra sense for the Whites given their want for short-term reinforcements in the course of the park, as his comparatively current performances for Villarreal counsel that he’s extra more likely to hit the bottom working than Kouyate.
Coquelin may be a greater choice as a consequence of his suitability for the fashion of play. Leeds have averaged 59.7% of possession of their matches this season and, subsequently, want midfielders who’re snug on the ball to dictate matches.
23/24 season
Kouyate (PL)
Coquelin (LaLiga)
Appearances
12
17
Move accuracy
64%
88%
Move accuracy in personal half
82%
89%
Lengthy go success price
0%
63%
Opposition half go success price
53%
87%
Stats by way of Sofascore
As you may see within the desk above, the previous Arsenal man was considerably higher in possession for his respective group than Kouyate was final time period.
He may supply way more to the Whites in possession, as a composed and dependable presence on the ball in his half and within the opposition’s, and that’s another excuse why the membership ought to swoop for him as a substitute of the ex-Nottingham Forest man.
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