Leeds United should have an eye on 12-cap Germany international as 1 of 3 free agent options | OneFootball

FLW outline three free agents Leeds United should be considering this month.

Leeds United are short of defensive options right now after seeing Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev succumb to serious knee issues, whilst Max Wöber has also had to undergo surgery on a meniscus injury.

The Whites are looking to go one better than last season under Daniel Farke and secure their place back in the Premier League, and have added quality and experience to their squad in the summer despite the fact there were far more players in the outgoings column compared to incomings.

Leeds fans will be hoping that they have the required depth, quality, and creativity in their ranks to mount another promotion push. However, many had hoped for at least one further addition on deadline day, with no natural attacking midfielder or central playmaker added to Farke's ranks this summer.

Now, it appears as though they are thinner in terms of numbers than they had first imagined, with Leeds’ recent team news representing a major concern. Leeds have just two senior midfielders and two senior centre-backs for at least the next five weeks for crucial games such as Friday's trip to Sunderland, and the likes of Sheffield United and Watford after the international break at the very least.

The only way for Leeds to add more experience and depth to their side from now until January is by exploring the free agent market. A handful of worthwhile names have already been snapped up, such as John Egan moving to Burnley, Paddy McNair joining West Brom (via a loan), as well as Japhet Tanganga joining Millwall.

The current injury crisis threatens to undermine their season and they are currently in the midst of worrying about multiple areas of the squad. The likes of Dan James, Manor Solomon, and Isaac Schmidt have missed action of late, but it is Ampadu, Gruev and Wöber's issues which are causing the greatest headache presently. Ampadu is set to be out until close to January, whilst Gruev's injury has been described as serious, which could mean months on the sidelines, Farke also stated that it will be six weeks until the Austrian, Wober, is back in training.

Despite Farke making his thoughts clear on free agents recently, the latest developments could make that sort of option an enticing one. There still remain multiple players available that they could also sign if the club's resources are stretched thin until January. Here, we take a look at three free agents Leeds could still target, should they look to add to their options at the base of midfield or in defensive areas.

Paul Dummett

From the list of still available players, a realistic name for Leeds could be Welsh international Paul Dummett, having left Newcastle United in the summer upon expiry of his contract. He hasn’t played a lot of football in recent seasons but could represent a worthwhile signing for Leeds to not only help settle the dressing room by adding another leader, he would also step up in the Championship if needed as cover.

Any contract agreement with Dummett wouldn’t need a huge outlay in terms of a long-term deal, just enough to provide depth and quality on the bench with Ampadu and Wöber out. It would take pressure away from James Debayo, who is currently the primary cover for Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk unless Sam Byram is utilised centrally.

Both Leeds and Ipswich Town were linked to the experienced defender recently, with Football Insider reporting in the final days of the winter window that both of the then promotion-pushing sides were looking to add some experience and depth to their defensive units.

No move materialised, but Leeds may wish to return to a deal, given the defensive situation at the club, with so few players on their books. Dummett spent most of his early career as a defensive-minded full-back on the left flank, but in recent years has transitioned to becoming more of a versatile ball-playing defender.

The 33-year-old can play comfortably as a left-back and a centre-back and Leeds would not have to rely on him as a definite starter, and could have him in a similar role to what he has had in the North East in recent years. It could be the safety net needed given a real shortage of defensive options and players in the 30-and-over bracket.

The ability to cover two positions and be a positive influence on the dressing room has to be tempting for Leeds on a short-term deal, to offset some of the many player losses. Some signings aren't the flashiest and won't get the headlines; but they are necessary for squad depth, experience, and valued versatility, with Dummett ticking plenty of boxes due to his availability as a free agent for Leeds.

Christoph Kramer

Christoph Kramer left Borussia Mönchengladbach after a decade of service in the summer, where the 33-year-old made a total of 288 appearances for the Foals over two separate spells.

He first joined on loan from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013 and enjoyed a terrific Bundesliga career. During his time at Gladbach, Kramer earned a call-up to the German national team for the 2014 World Cup, where his second appearance during the tournament was in the final against Argentina at the Marcana.

Not only is he a former Germany international and veteran of the Bundesliga who would add quality and experience, but he is a player well-known to Farke, having played under him with Gladbach. The 12-times capped former Germany international was often captain under Leeds' head coach.

Therefore, bringing the sort of steel and know-how Farke would surely love, as well as the likelihood that he would understand what is being asked of him both tactically and in terms of setting standards away from the field.

Kramer is a natural defensive midfielder, who has the height and physicality to dominate midfield battles in the second tier of English football, and his technical quality should be more than enough to compete too, albeit Kramer would, like any free agent Leeds sign, have to build up his match fitness from the bench initially.

He at least gives Farke an alternative to Charlie Crew, who is the next midfielder in line to play if either of Tanaka or Rothwell are struck down with injury. Kramer is a big media personality and has already made a name for himself away from the pitch.

He works as a pundit for German public broadcaster ZDF alongside Per Mertesacker, but would surely be tempted to write another chapter in his career with a move to West Yorkshire and a promotion battle?

Cheikhou Kouyate

After amassing nearly 300 appearances over the course of spells with West Ham United and Crystal Palace, Kouyate signed for Nottingham Forest in 2022. It may not have quite worked out for the Senegal international at the City Ground, as he is now unattached.

Kouyate didn’t feature often for Forest last season but he did make 21 Premier League appearances for the club in the 2022/23 season. In total he made 36 appearances before being released in the summer.

The 34-year-old boasts a wealth of experience but has an edge over both Dummett and Kramer in that he can operate as a defensive midfielder or central defender, which is where Leeds are in desperate need of more depth, and Kouyate could kill two birds with one stone to save the club financial resources.

Even though the Senegal international isn’t renowned for his on-the-ball qualities, he has the long legs and strides to eat up ground and win the ball back, whilst it also aids him in being a capable ball-carrier. Kouyate's energy and physicality make him a strong player in duels, be that as a midfielder or defender.

His experience and natural versatility could make him an excellent option, and one that would take some pressure and workload off of the starting defenders and midfielders. He may not be the player he once was in his prime years, but Kouyate has the required quality as the perfect stop gap.

The Senegalese international is extremely combative and may be the most sensible option on this list. Dummett and Kramer could be signed but neither have the utility man status that Kouyate brings in terms of his ability to slot into multiple required roles and positions.

In that sense, he could take a place on Leeds' bench if there was a game tomorrow, with Leeds then knowing they are able to turn to him late in games as either a midfielder or defender.