Meet new Leeds United signing Josuha Guilavogui as Daniel Farke's transfer wish comes true

Josuha Guilavogui is a Leeds United player. The 34-year-old has joined the Whites on a deal until the end of the 2024/25 season.

Guilavogui has been at the Whites' Thorp Arch training ground over the past week and was pictured with supporters at the past two matches. The former France international has racked up 274 senior appearances in a deep-lying midfield role. He has also lined up a number of times at centre-half.

Guilavogui has spent much of his playing career in Germany with stints at Wolfsburg and Mainz. He has been without a club since leaving Mainz at the end of last season. Guilavogui, who has also previously represented Saint-Etienne, Mainz, Bordeaux and Atletico Madrid, featured 11 times in the Bundesliga last term and brings a wealth of experience to United's squad, having won three domestic cup titles in Germany and France.

READ MORE:Josuha Guilavogui explains why he rejected multiple transfer offers to join Leeds United

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It is thought Guilavogui has flirted with moves to England previously with a move to West Ham United mooted earlier in his career. Guilavogui is the ninth player United have signed since July.

The Whites are hopeful Guilavogui will be eligible to be involved in Saturday's trip to Bristol City. LeedsLive has taken a look at the reasons for United adding to their ranks:

Why have United signed a free agent?

Midfield is a department where the Whites have looked desperately low on numbers since first-choice pairing Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev suffered serious knee injuries in the space of four days. Japan international Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell, two natural numbers 8s, are currently the only senior midfielders that manager Daniel Farke has to choose from. United are not particularly well-stocked at centre-back either, with Max Wober still recovering from minor knee surgery and unlikely to return to action until next month.

Farke wanted additional cover in defence and midfield and Guilavogui ticks plenty of boxes. Standing at 6ft 2ins tall, the left-footed defender is a seasoned operator and can play in a number of positions. It is a move that makes sense for all parties. It is a low risk signing.

Did United look at other midfielders?

Yes. It is understood a small number of free agents have been at Thorp Arch since news broke of Ampadu and Gruev's big injury setbacks.

United expressed an interest in former West Ham United and Nottingham Forest man Cheikhou Kouyate. It appeared Kouyate was Farke's preferred option but a deal failed to materialise. They were also heavily linked with moves for Christoph Kramer and Francis Coquelin.

Guilavogui snubbed "some offers" from elsewhere to move to Elland Road. He said: “Sometimes in life you have some opportunities and you don’t want to miss it. I am really happy to be here."

Has Farke said anything on free agents?

Plenty. "The profile is important," he stated. "We’re thin on the holding midfield option. Ethan was our first choice, the back-up would be Ilia.

“We’re also a bit thin on the centre-back position. Max [Wöber] is out and was not really available since he came back in the summer, although he’s a bit ahead of schedule. We have to keep in mind Pascal [Struijk] had an injury record in his CV, Joe Rodon is on four yellows.

“In an ideal situation we’d bring in a deep-lying midfielder who could also cope with the centre-back position."

What does Farke expect from Guilavogui?

Farke made it clear in the search for reinforcements what he was looking for from a prospective new recruit. "He would come in to be a back-up solution, to bring his experience and teach and educate our young players," he said.

"He should come in with the attitude to improve them. If a young player is struggling with the pressure with playing for a club like Leeds United to not crack, we need a player who has experience and this mentality."

Guilavogui's reaction to joining United?

He said: “I have never played in England and I think as a football player this is a really amazing experience and for playing for Leeds, a historic club, this is a wonderful opportunity for me.

“I am looking forward to training with the team, to help the team on the pitch, outside the pitch as well and hopefully that we set our goals.

“It is always better to jump in the team when they are winning and I was there for the game against Sheffield United and it was a really amazing performance. They had no chance and we could have scored more than two goals. So, yeah, it is a really good feeling.”