Leeds United confirm eighth exit since Championship play-off final with season-long loan deal

An eighth first-team exit since the end of last season has been confirmed by Leeds United with Darko Gyabi’s return to Plymouth Argyle. The 20-year-old heads back to Home Park on a season-long loan to finish what he started.

Gyabi first left for Home Park in January and racked up 10 appearances under Ian Foster, but a groin injury in March required surgery and that ended his campaign early. With pre-season underway, another loan has been agreed with the Pilgrims, who are now led by England legend Wayne Rooney.

Gyabi had previously worked under Foster in Devon, but Rooney and the Argyle hierarchy have seen enough to bring the Leeds man back. Gyabi was given a brief look at first-team football by Farke last August as he pieced together his team at Elland Road.

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A start against Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Cup ended with a half-time withdrawal that told the manager he was not ready for a major part at the club. There are two years still to run on the four-year contract Gyabi signed in 2022.

The England youth international arrived from City off the back of Kalvin Phillips’s switch to Etihad Stadium, but his first-team breakthrough is yet to be established. Gyabi follows Luke Ayling, Lewis Bate, Jack Harrison, Sonny Perkins, Marc Roca, Ian Poveda and Archie Gray out of Elland Road since May’s Championship play-off final.

The contracts of Liam Cooper, Jamie Shackleton and Cody Drameh also expired at the start of the week, but they are yet to formally decide whether they will accept the new deals on the table for them.