"An absolute bargain" - Leeds United backed to finalise transfer for ex-Arsenal star | OneFootball

The former Arsenal and Villarreal midfielder has been invited for a trial with the Whites after Cheikou Kouyate failed his medical.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Leeds United's hunt for a new midfielder was forced to continue after a deal for Cheikhou Kouyate fell through on Wednesday.

It was reported by Football Insider that the former Nottingham Forest and West Ham United player failed his medical, leading to the Championship club withdrawing their interest.

However, the Whites are still looking to make a new signing following long-term injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev that have left Daniel Farke's side light in terms of cover both defensively and in the middle of the park.

With limited options available due to the transfer window being closed, it now looks as though Leeds have turned to ex-Arsenal and Villarreal man, Francis Coquelin, to fill the void, with the 33-year-old now training with Farke's team, according to TeamTalk.

Coquelin would be a good signing for Leeds on one condition

The Whites are just one of several teams in the hunt for promotion to the Premier League, and experience will be needed to help carry them over the line come the final months of the season.

While success is never guaranteed, Farke's side have put themselves in a good position early on to be in contention for a play-off spot by May, but with injuries mounting, bringing in a player of Coquelin's quality could be the perfect way to ease any pressure on those coming back to full fitness in the coming weeks.

Football League World posed the question to their Leeds Fan Pundit, Kris Smith, about whether he believes that the Frenchman would be a good signing for the club.

He told FLW: "Beggars can't really be choosers at this stage of the season when it comes to signings and free agents, so, I don't think I, or any Leeds fan, can really complain about the players and the calibre of players that we're looking at currently to tide us over in midfield.

"Francis Coquelin in particular is someone that would definitely impress me though if we do end up signing him. He's got a great deal of top flight experience and European experience as well, including winning two FA Cups and the Europa League with Villarreal, so he's more than capable of coming down into the Championship and operating at a level that we'd need from him."

Kris continued: "Again though, just as it was with Kouyate, my concern is the fitness that he'd be coming to Elland Road with, given that, if he does sign, he's not going to be 100% sharp or match fit after being released in the summer and not kicking a ball since.

"Looking at the whole picture though, if we do get the best out of Coquelin as a free agent, you're looking at an absolute bargain that tides us over for the rest of the season. But it is hard to be confident that that's what we're going to be getting with him, because a player of his quality would have already been snapped up if he was match fit."

Coquelin's experience will be key

Leeds' search for a midfielder could finally come to an end if Coquelin does prove his fitness to those at the club, and he could be the perfect player to fill the void they currently have in midfield.

With 105 Premier League and 136 La Liga appearances to his name, his experience of top flight football dwarfs that of most in the Championship, and is something that will prove vital during difficult moments.

Last season, Leeds perhaps lacked that cutting edge in midfield. Although they possessed players with fantastic technical ability, a leader in midfield was often missing, and the 33-year-old could prove to be that player for Farke.

2024/25 is an incredibly important campaign for the Whites, and not getting promoted back to the Premier League again could be a hugely problematic situation considering how many of their key stars they lost in the summer.

Another failure this season could see even more talent leave, and bringing in a player with the qualities to break up the play and command a team such as Coquelin will only help in their fight to win promotion and get Leeds back to where they were just two years ago.