Major new update shared out of Leeds on Kouyate deal as 49ers pull U-turn

A major update has been provided on midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate‘s potential move to Leeds United this month as Daniel Farke‘s side look at the free-agent market for reinforcements.

Leeds light in midfield

Though just three points off top spot in the Championship after nine games, it has not been plain sailing for Leeds United so far this season.

Farke’s side were forced to deal with significant upheaval over the summer, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray and Glen Kamara all leaving the club having been stalwarts across the 2023/24 campaign.

They have also suffered some awful injury luck, with midfield duo Ethan Ampadu and Illia Gruev both expected to miss significant portions of the season. Farke confirmed that he did not expect Ampadu to return to training until December, while Gruev is also expected to miss months of action rather than weeks.

The Leeds boss hinted at a potential new arrival to bolster the Yorkshire side’s midfield ranks, with only Joe Rothwell and summer signing Ao Tanaka currently available for selection in that role.

“It is professional of us to check who is available and what we could do, but to be honest I am not a big fan of signing people out of contract when you get to October. They have been out for training for months, so it may take them a while to get up to speed and a player who is injured could be back before the new signing is ready,” Farke explained earlier in the month.

“It can be a panic signing. It is professional to check to see if there is someone who suits the needs, but I am not a big believer of it. But let’s see. First we wait and hope for the outcome of Ilia Gruev. Sometimes though it could be bad for the whole group. It can send a sign to other players we don’t trust them.”

That player looked likely to be the experienced Kouyate, who is a free agent after leaving Nottingham Forest over the summer. Now, an update has been forthcoming on that deal.

Latest on Leeds’ pursuit of Kouyate

That comes as Football Insider report that Leeds United and the 49ers have pulled the plug on a deal for Kouyate despite their current midfield woes.

After it appeared that a deal was getting close, a major turn of events has seen it collapse, with the report revealing that Leeds ‘held talks’ but are ‘not currently planning to further their discussions’ for the veteran.

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The Whites let go of the centre-forward before he had a chance to fulfill his potential.

It is added that the Senegal international ‘was considered likely’ to move to Elland Road at one point, but ‘interest in the midfielder’s signature has faded’ amid a ‘number of alternative options on the table’ for Farke’s side.

Leeds fans will be hoping that those options can be added to their ranks sooner rather than later as they prepare for the hefty fixture list of the Championship with just two recognised senior midfielders.