Leeds United Complete Signing Of Manchester City Midfielder Darko Gyabi

One of the most intriguing aspects of Manchester City's upcoming season is seeing a host of the club's youngsters embark on new adventures.

Southampton have made an audacious double-swoop for both Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia for a combined £22 million, despite the pair having never played a minute of Premier League football.

CJ-Egan Riley has joined Vincent Kompany’s Burnley on a permanent basis for a fee in the region of £300,000

While Taylor Harwood-Bellis has also joined the Championship club on loan.

In addition, Tommy Doyle has joined Sheffield United on a season-long loan, while Sam Edozie’s £10 million move to Bayer Leverkusen looks imminent.

Another name that can be added to this list is Darko Gyabi, who has officially signed for Leeds United.

After weeks of speculation, Jesse Marsch’s side have completed the midfield prodigy’s signing for around £5 million.

The 18-year old’s arrival was officially confirmed on Monday, after Kalvin Phillips was announced as a Manchester City player.

Several Sky Blues fans have questioned whether a buy-back clause has been inserted to initiate the starlet’s potential return one day, however this information remains unknown currently.

While it was reported that the deal to sign Gyabi had no link with the Englishman’s switch to the Etihad Stadium, one cannot help but feel that the Sky Blues youngster’s sale helped drive down the price for the now-£42 million star.

Considering the 26-year old’s rousing success with the Three Lions and his status as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, several Leeds supporters have expressed their frustration at the price tag.

With a staggering asking price of £150 million quoted by West Ham manager David Moyes publicly for Declan Rice, the Elland Road faithful have failed to understand how their side failed to complete a bigger deal for their talisman.

With a price in the £50-£60 million range seen as his valuation.

However, this is an indication of just how desperate Jesse Marsch’s side were to sign a diamond in the rough such as Darko Gyabi.

He played a massive role in City’s U18s title triumph in the 2020/21 season, bossing midfields with his unique blend of silk and steel.

The youngster made such an impression that he was promoted to the Elite Development Squad (EDS) in the following campaign, where he made 11 appearances for the side.

While City have lost a gem for the time being, it was simply impossible for them to keep the in-demand talent around the club, considering he could not be afforded first-team minutes yet.

With Leeds’ astute transfer strategy in full flow with signings such as Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca and potentially Tyler Adams as well, Gyabi could be set for a breakout season in the Premier League.