Good Morning. It's Monday 14th October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Kouyate - medical passed and training with Leeds
Cheikhou Kouyate has been spotted around Thorp Arch for the last several day, amidst rumour that the soon to be 35yo has passed his Leeds medical! Kouyate has been without a club since being released by Nottingham Forest during the Summer, and has spent the last few days trying to prove his fitness. His age may be a concern, but with it, comes a wealth of experience stretching back seventeen years, and almost five hundred appearances.
Former Leeds and England midfielder Carlton Palmer has edged on the side of caution, insisting Daniel Farke should wait until January to add to his squad, but with long term injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilea Gruev, does the gaffer have much choice? It has also been suggested that Leeds are considering recalling Darko Gyabi from his loan spell with Plymouth Argyle. The 20yo has made eight league starts from the Pilgrims this season, and has a healthy 6.54 'whoscored' rating, ranking him ninth in Wayne Rooney's squad. According to Palmer:-
He [Kouyate] is still without a club, and it worries me when a player has been released from a football club in the summer and has not been picked up, it is a problem,” “It might work out in a limited period, but Daniel Farke and I both have the same feelings about this, and he expressed his reservations about Leeds signing free agents at this stage of the season.
I think what Leeds have got to go is trying to get through this present moment, hopefully, get one or two players back or get to the January transfer window and move to bring some quality players in. I don’t think Kouyate is going to come in at 34 years old and make a big impression at Leeds…
What are the chances of seeing Klopp passing on advice to Farke up at Thorp Arch anytime soon
Former Leeds and England striker Robbie Fowler has created quite a stir on social media with a piece he wrote in the Sunday Mirror yesterday! The former Liverpool, Leeds and England star lit up twitter after inferring that he wouldn't be surprised to see Jurgen Klopp rock up at Thorp Arch, as part of his new role as Head of Global Football with Red Bull.
Although the Austrian energy drink company only hold a minority stake in Leeds Utd (suggested to be in the region of 10%), it is believed that they could play a massive role moving forward, including revamping their training facilities at Thorp Arch and improve their scouting system. Although Jurgen Klopp and Daniel Farke's paths have rarely crossed, the former Liverpool Manager once named Farke as the person he would like to be stuck on a desert island with, describing him as a 'good guy'.
