Leeds United are lining up a move for Manchester City midfielder Darko Gyabi, according to Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Phillips news
The Whites look set to lose star midfielder Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City. The Premier League champions have been heavily linked with a move for the 26-year-old and have now agreed on a fee with Leeds.
The Athletic revealed on Friday evening that a transfer will be worth an initial £42m that could rise to £45m with add-ons.
The Latest: Gyabi update
Hay took to Twitter on Friday evening to share the news regarding Phillips. The Leeds correspondent then added that the Whites are ‘lining up’ a move for Gyabi ‘with Phillips leaving’, who could undergo a medical and sign a four-year deal next week.
The Athletic’s David Ornstein has claimed that a move for Gyabi is separate from the Phillips move, with a £5m fee being discussed by Victor Orta and Co.
Hay has since added that the Whites are also after Club Brugge star Charles De Ketelaere and view the Belgian as a forward, so one would have to assume they plan to bring both players in alongside each other, rather than it being a case of either/or.
[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-5/" title="Latest Leeds United updates!" poster="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg" width="360" height="600" align="none"]
The Verdict: Senior signing needed ASAP
Leeds made a good start to their summer business with three quick signings in Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca. However, with this news on Phillips, Victor Orta will need to act fast and secure a senior replacement as soon as possible.
Gyabi, described as ‘a player who catches the eye with his skill in tight areas and ability to dribble through midfield’ and an ‘ideal number 8’, could break through into the first team setup over the coming years and may prove to be a shrewd signing in the long run.
However, it is vital that a marquee midfielder comes in for Phillips, preferably over the coming weeks to avoid Leeds taking a big backwards step.