Fee agreement puts Leeds at risk of 2nd Birmingham blow in ‘instrumental’ striker race

Leeds United are at risk of suffering a second blow at the hands of Birmingham City after the Blues agreed a fee for Sory Kaba.

The Whites returned from St. Andrew’s having suffered a miserable 1-0 defeat on Saturday (12 August) thanks to a last-minute penalty conceded by Dan James, with the squad lacking a host of wantaway players including Willy Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra.

Now Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath has reported via Twitter Monday (14 August) that Birmingham have entered the race for FC Midtjylland striker Kaba which “included several Championship clubs” and have reached an agreement on price with the Danish side.

Watford were reportedly in the lead for the Guinean, but Leeds United were named alongside the Hornets and Cardiff City as three of the sides “insisting the most” on a deal by UDLasPalmas.net on 17 July.

Kaba spent half a season on loan with the Bluebirds last term and helped narrowly keep them up by scoring eight goals in 17 Championship appearanaces.

That led Carlton Palmer to credit the 28-year-old with being “instrumental” in their survival as he backed the Whites to go after the striker as a “viable option” for a fee which would not be “crazy”.

The pundit told Football League World (9 June) that with the right service he felt Kaba could be a “20-goal-a-season man”.

Daniel Farke needs help up front at Elland Road with just Patrick Bamford as a senior number nine and the 29-year-old again out injured.

Junior option Mateo Joseph has also been missing with injury along with Georginio Rutter, while fellow youngster Sonny Perkins wasn’t in the squad that lost to Birmingham.

Willy Gnonto started the 2-2 draw with Cardiff in the opener but has missed both matches since as he tries to force a move away, while Joe Gelhardt started at St. Andrew’s when it has become clear he is better off a main forward.

So Kaba would be one of a few proven Championship scorers who could lift the burden, with the likes of Joel Piroe and Cameron Archer also linked, but unless the Whites make a major move quickly it appears the options could be dwindling and Birmingham might be about to compound the misery they inflicted on the pitch with a follow-up off it.