Leeds United have reportedly welcomed Francis Coquelin for a workout to see whether the veteran could be a signing for the Whites to help bolster their midfield, which is in crisis mode right now.
Manager Daniel Farke mentioned that Leeds are exploring free-agent options following injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev. Over the last couple weeks, the Yorkshire side have been linked to former Nottingham Forest veteran Cheikhou Kouyaté.
Nonetheless, there’s conflicting information on whether Leeds will go through with signing Kouyaté. Football Insider reported Wednesday that Leeds have called off their plans to sign Kouyaté after he failed his medical. The outlet also mentioned that the club is set to trial an unnamed German player this week.
Leeds only have Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell as senior options in the middle of the park. As a result, the Whites need to decide whether to sign a player or rely on what they have on the first team and youth academy to hold the fort until the players get back and January when the transfer window opens.
What could Leeds expect from Francis Coquelin
The 33-year-old has plenty of experience in England having made 160 appearances for Arsenal and with the veteran being an option for the Whites, an Arsenal expert spoke with LeedsUnited.News about what the club can expect from the player should they sign him.
“Truly a one-of-a-kind player under Arsene Wenger, he was almost the antithesis of everything Arsenal were at the time,” Lucas Arnold told the outlet. “Coquelin wasn’t interested in tiki-taka passes, he simply wanted to stick his foot in.
“A player who truly wore his heart on his sleeve. He dove into tackles and quickly won the ball back for the likes of Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky. He was in that midfield to do one thing. He did it brilliantly.”
During his time at Arsenal, the midfielder won two FA Cups and two Community Shields. Moreover, the player also won the UEFA Europa League in 2021 with Villarreal and the Copa del Rey with Valencia in 2019. As a result, this signing would bring title experience to the squad.