Carlton Palmer has warned against Leeds United signing a short-term option like Cheikhou Kouyaté as Daniel Farke attempts to solve his midfield injury crisis.
Leeds have been forced to weigh up the possibility of signing a free agent after losing both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev to long-term knee injuries earlier this month. Ampadu avoided surgery and is expected back in the New Year but Gruev could be out until March, having gone under the knife for a ‘significant’ meniscus issue.
Among the small group of players being ‘considered’ by Leeds is Kouyaté, who was released by Nottingham Forest in June after playing just over 200 Premier League minutes last season. The 34-year-old boasts more top-flight experience than most but has not enjoyed regular football for over a year, and Palmer doesn’t believe he can provide the solution.
“He’s 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,” Palmer told Football League World. “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 try 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 Kouyaté is going to come in at 34 years old and make a big impression at Leeds with what they are planning to do for this season. As I said, with players who have been released by a football club in the summer and haven’t been snapped up at this period of time, there is a reason for that.”...Read Full Article [Click Here>]
The issue of match sharpness is an obvious one when looking at free agents, particularly when the new season is two months old and in full flow, and Leeds will emphasise focus on the fitness of Kouyaté – or any other possible arrival – before pulling the trigger. The YEP asked Farke for his opinion on the matter after Gruev’s injury at Norwich City and while it was not ruled out, the Leeds boss made his concerns clear.
“If I’m really honest, I’m not a big friend of signing players who are out of contract in the beginning of October, because it means more or less they are out of team training since May,” he said. “That means they are out of team training since whatever, five months.
“And even if you bring them in, it lasts also a while until they are really ready to go and fully fit and really could play first team football and then quite often the player who is right now injured for the next few weeks, he’s even even back in perhaps and ready to go earlier than the players who are out for since five months.
“I think quite often it’s a bit like a panic buy or like to pretend to do something anyhow. I think it’s professional to check it, and sometimes out of coincidence or out of a special situation, there could be someone out who really suits the needs in this moment.”
