Leeds United knocked back permanent transfer interest in their midfielder over the summer.
Leeds United will be delighted to see their on-loan midfielder Darko Gyabi promoted to the England Under-21 set up this week, following an excellent spell of form at Plymouth Argyle.
Gyabi has been virtually ever-present in the Pilgrims midfield, playing 14 of their 15 Championship games – his only absence being the 3-0 defeat against parent club Leeds last month. The 20-year-old is benefitting from a consistent run of starts and despite Plymouth’s struggles, continues to impress under head coach Wayne Rooney.
The dynamic midfielder was initially set to be involved with the England Elite League (under-20s) squad during the November international break but has benefitted from developments at senior level. England’s first-team face Greece and the Republic of Ireland but interim boss Lee Carsley has been hit hard by withdrawals with nine players including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka pulling out.
Carsley has therefore opted to call-up a group of under-21s such as Tino Livramento, Jarell Quansah, Morgan Rogers and James Trafford. As such, promotions have continued further down the age groups and Gyabi has earned a first ever involvement at under-21 level, with Norwich City’s Ben Chrisene and on-loan Sheffield United winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi also moving up.
Gyabi will reunite with a couple of former Leeds teammates in the camp, with Archie Gray and Charlie Creswell – now of Tottenham and Toulouse respectively – regulars at that level. England under-21s have two friendlies this month against Spain and the Netherlands in early preparation for next summer’s UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals – an opportunity for the Whites loanee to stake his claim to be involved.
Summer decision vindicated
The promotion is Gyabi’s reward for an excellent start to his second loan spell at Plymouth, having seen his initial move cut short through injury last season. And Leeds will also have a keen eye on the former Manchester City academy graduate’s form, having made a key decision on his future over the summer.
A move away from Elland Road was expected, given Leeds were looking to invest in first-team midfield options which would have pushed Gyabi further down the pecking order. But Elland road chiefs evidently see a future for the £5million 2022 arrival, with Plymouth sporting director Neil Dewsnip revealing earlier this season his suggestions of a permanent deal were quickly knocked back.
“One of our methods of success over the last few years is having had players on loan, and then being able to go back to buy them in some cases,” he told Plymouth Live. “Darko wasn’t on the market to be bought. Leeds didn’t encourage that discussion. We did have a little nibble at that but it wasn’t really on their agenda, but to get him back on loan was the next best thing we could do, and that’s what we have achieved.”
Gyabi will enter the final 12 months of his Leeds contract upon returning from Plymouth next summer and so a decision will need to be taken on his long-term future. But continued form at Home Park and an encouraging international promotion will do no harm to his chance of a future at Elland Road.
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