Leeds United are expected to make Manchester City midfielder Darko Gyabi their fourth addition of the summer. The 18-year-old is understood to be moving in the opposite direction to Kalvin Phillips for £5m.
With no senior appearances for the teenager with the Premier League champions, there is not a lot known about Gyabi. LeedsLive spoke to Simon Bajkowski, chief Manchester City writer with our sister title Manchester Evening News, about the youngster.
How good can Darko Gyabi be? What kind of talent will Leeds have on their hands?
Gyabi is an exciting prospect who has developed well at City after moving up from south London, where a number of top footballers have been produced in recent years. At 18, he is still very raw, but has added the tactical and technical sophistication to his game all City youngsters get.
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He has also soaked up an environment where every age group up to the first team do not accept anything, but winning. Gyabi has been unfazed by everything he has faced to date and is likely to relish the challenge of breaking into the Leeds team.
What's the general feeling at Man City, in the club and among fans, about Gyabi departing?
The reaction hasn't been widespread because Gyabi hasn't really been in the first-team picture, but in the academy, there is a sense of pride and satisfaction a good Premier League club have come in to pay good money for one of their young players. This isn't really a market City are used to selling in, but more and more of their emerging talent is being noticed by clubs like Leeds.
The chance for those players to test themselves and fast-track their senior career is not one they are begrudged.
What is his best position or role?
He operates best as a holding midfielder and while there is a bite to his tackle, he operates more in the style of Rodri. It’s a game built on anticipating where the ball will be and ensuring possession is gained and kept rather than the more disruptive style of Fernandinho.
Gyabi does have the ability to get forward too and is better than he is given credit for on the ball.
What kind of impact has he made on the field with City's under-23 and under-18 sides?
A long-term injury forced him to miss basically the first half of the season just gone and cut short what could have been a good youth Champions League, but Gyabi worked well to get back onto the pitch and has impressed in the second half of the season with an under-23 side that ended up comfortably winning the league.
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