Leeds United: ‘We’ve got 95% of business done’ - Rosler
United’s head coach admitted that the addition of width and pace to his attacking line was still on the agenda following Adeyemi’s arrival but Rosler will take Leeds on tour to Austria later this week with most of his work in the market done.
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Hide AdAdeyemi joined Leeds from Cardiff City on a season-long loan yesterday, becoming United’s fifth new signing of the summer.
The 23-year-old – a box-to-box midfielder who Rosler coached at Brentford – has moved to Elland Road with a view to a permanent transfer just 12 months after joining Cardiff from Birmingham City in a deal worth over £1million.
Rosler said he had been monitoring Adeyemi’s progress since failing to sign him full-time after Brentford lost the League One play-off in 2013.
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Hide AdAdeyemi had been at loan at Griffin Park from Norwich City but chose to join Birmingham in the Championship following Brentford’s narrow failure to win promotion.
Rosler was anxious to strengthen his midfield after losing Luke Murphy to minor knee surgery two weeks ago, a setback which compounded Leeds’ decision to release Jamaican Rodolph Austin at the end of last season.
Rosler said: “When you have the opportunity to bring in a player like Tom under the conditions we got him - at the age of 23, 150-plus starts in the Football League, with potential to get better - it was too good an opportunity.
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Hide Ad“He’s a smashing lad, very ambitious. He’s been proven in League Two, League One and in the Championship. He’s a very competent Championship player.
“We needed that sort of player, someone who gives us different options. I worked with the player at Brentford for a year. Then there’s the fact we lost Rodolph Austin with his attributes and qualities, and Luke Murphy.
“When I see our midfield and the option (Adeyemi) gives me, I get very excited about it.”
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Hide AdRosler said Leeds would have “first option” to sign Adeyemi at the end of this season, a point at which the midfielder will have one year remaining on his deal at Cardiff.
His opportunities in Wales have been limited since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the manager who took him to Cardiff, was sacked in September and replace