Leeds United: Seemingly definitive twist in Cheikhou Kouyate saga | OneFootball

They were previously reported to be close to agreeing a deal for the free agent.

Leeds United are reported to have canned their move for former Nottingham Forest midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate after a problem became clear during his medical with the club.

The Premier League veteran was stated to be undergoing a medical examination in Yorkshire yesterday, as per Football Insider. He has been without a club since being released by Forest in the summer, who he played a dozen times for in the top flight last season.

Leeds were reported by the same outlet to have bombed off a prospective move for the Senegalese international over the weekend, despite their waning number of midfield options, but an apparent U-turn was made, and the deal looked set to go ahead.

Both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev have gone down with long-term injuries in recent weeks, taking United down to their bare bones in this area of their squad.

Now this attempt to add extra reinforcements to Daniel Farke's middle of the pitch options could go wrong once again.

Leeds United, Cheikhou Kouyate deal off

The Whites are not going to go ahead with their move for the 34-year-old after he failed his medical, according to Football Insider. The two parties had agreed terms, as per the online football publication, but Kouyate didn't pass the physical tests that he was put through during the medical.

This will now force Farke and his team to go back in and look for free agents. Football Insider have stated that the German wants to make additions to his team before the transfer window opens in the new year.

Midfield was an area that clearly needed to be addressed in the summer, and it was an issue that was magnified even more by the departure of Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur.

Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka were acquired in the summer window to help bolster the number of available troops in midfield, but the recent knee injuries suffered by club captain Ampadu and Gruev, which are likely to keep them out until after the start of 2025, have stretched their options thin again.

These aches and pains have not come at a good time for Leeds, if there ever was one. Prior to the international break, they took two points from games against Norwich City and Sunderland, although had it not been for Illan Meslier's horrendous error against the Black Cats, the points tally from those games would have been doubled.

They are now preparing to face two more current play-off contenders in the form of Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United and Tom Cleverley's Watford.

Kouyate could have been used on Friday against the Blades had he been signed by Leeds, but that doesn't look likely to happen now.

Leeds should look to sign Christoph Kramer

Shopping in the German leagues has been no oddity for either of the English teams managed by Farke over the years. He knows them well, and it makes sense for him to lean into his expertise when searching for new players. When it comes to German midfielder Christoph Kramer, he will certainly know Farke well.

The two worked together when the Leeds boss was in charge at Borussia Mönchengladbach from July 2022 to June 2023. In that 22/23 season, Kramer started in 27 of the 29 Bundesliga games he played in under Farke.

The 33-year-old is currently a free agent. His estimated weekly wage from last season of £56,397, according to Capology, isn't higher than Leeds' highest estimated earner (Patrick Bamford - £70,000 p/w). It'd be an ambitious move but one that would be made easier by the pre-existing relationship between coach and player.