In less than a week, Leeds United’s midfield has been shredded by injuries after Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev suffered injuries. Could the Whites be forced to jump into the free-agent pool to try and hold down the fort until these players return?
Ampadu will likely not play the rest of this year, as reports have him returning in early 2025. Leeds know that they will be without their captain for the long term, and his replacement was Ao Tanaka, whose first Leeds start came on Tuesday against Norwich City.
However, in the 1-1 draw against Norwich, Gruev left the match early with a knee injury, but there’s no timetable yet for how long the midfielder will be out for. The Yorkshire side likely counted on a Gruev-Tanaka tandem to overcome the Ampadu injury, so it’s a significant blow.
The Whites’ depth is thinning as players continue to fall to injury, so the club could wonder if it is time to enter the free-agent market to restore depth and hold the fort until these players return.
Will Leeds head into the free-agent market?
Who should Leeds pursue? The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Kyle Newbould spotlighted five names that should be on the club’s radar to bolster their midfield if they pursue a free agent.
Two intriguing players are among the five names: one with Premier League experience and another who has played under manager Daniel Farke in Germany.
Veteran Cheikhou Kouyaté left Nottingham Forest this past summer and would bring experience playing in English football, having played for West Ham United and Crystal Palace, too.
“Kouyaté also has 92 Senegal caps to his name and so would provide plenty of experience, and is also able to cover at centre-back – another current problem area for Leeds,” Newbould wrote. “Like the other two, his wages might be a little on the pricey side and there is thought to be top-flight interest.”
The other name that would make sense is Christoph Kramer who played for Farke and likely knows what the manager wants out of his midfielders. The veteran has been without a club since leaving Borussia Monchengladbach.
“Kramer’s entire career has been spent in Germany and so Leeds could tempt the 33-year-old into a fresh challenge, possibly leaning on the midfielder’s former loan teammate Max Wober for a positive reference,” Newbould wrote.
As for the other three names, they include Francis Coquelin, Muhamed Bešić, and Leonardo Lopes.