10-game Leeds United flop linked with shock Premier League move as 'contact made'
Cody Drameh never fulfilled his potential at Leeds United but has impressed with Hull City.
FA Cup winners and Premier League regulars Crystal Palace have reportedly made contact over a shock move for former Leeds United defender Cody Drameh.
The 23-year-old left Elland Road permanently last summer following the expiration of his contract, joining Championship rivals Hull City on a free transfer. Leeds actually tabled a new deal for the defender but the reasons for that were largely financial, with a compensation fee due because he was under 24-years-old.
Drameh only started 17 Championship games last season - fewer than January loan arrival and former Leeds teammate Joe Gelhardt - due to being in competition with the experienced Lewie Coyle. But the attacking right-back has impressed in pre-season and attracted interest from a number of Championship sides.
Blackburn Rovers, Derby County, Preston North End and 49ers Enterprises-owned Rangers are all thought to be interested in Drameh but now a report from Football Insider suggests Premier League Palace could swoop. The outlet claims contact has even been made over a potential deal for the former Leeds man, who could end up playing European football if he moves to Selhurst Park.
Palace qualified for the Europa League via their FA Cup win over Manchester City in May but due to joint-ownership issues with French club Lyon, they have been demoted. Oliver Glasner’s side will still feature in the Europa Conference League, however, which would represent a major step up for Drameh.
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The full-back struggled to make a positive impact on the first-team during three years at Leeds despite showing plenty of promise with the Under-21s or out on loan, particularly at Cardiff City and Luton Town. He played just 21 minutes of Championship football during Daniel Farke’s first year in charge, coming on against Ipswich Town as a 24th-minute substitute before being taken off at half-time and subsequently joining Birmingham City on loan.
Cody Drameh’s Leeds United struggled amid Crystal Palace links
There had always been plenty of promise surrounding Drameh, who played four Premier League games for Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch after signing in a £1.5m deal. Reports back in 2022 even suggested the likes of Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund were interested in his services, albeit neither link came to anything.
Drameh struggled to nail down a first-team place at Hull last season but incoming head coach Sergej Jakirović has given him a chance in pre-season and it appears to have been taken. The attacking full-back was most recently part of a Tigers side that beat newly-promoted Premier League outfit Sunderland on Tuesday evening.
"Yes [I've been impressed with him], he has trained very, very good,” Jakirović recently told Hull Live. “Cody has big abilities, and he can repeat them all day and all night, so it's very, very good for us. He's still a young player, and he also needs support. We have two very good options at the right full-back position."
All in all, Drameh made just 10 appearances across all competitions for Leeds, with much of his three-year spell spent on loan at Cardiff, Luton and Birmingham. He still has two years left on his contract at the MKM Stadium.