Leeds United are reportedly in frame to replace Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman with another keeper from the Premier League, Newcastle stopper Karl Darlow.
Newcastle United's Karl Darlow on Leeds United's radar as the club look to strike a deal for a goalkeeper in the early stages of the transfer window:https://t.co/DtEeP6B9mw
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) December 18, 2018
Phil Hay of The Yorkshire Evening Post is reporting that Leeds have made several inquiries as to his availability in the January transfer window, as Leeds are looking to get some depth at the goalkeeper position after Blackman broke his leg and returned to Chelsea.
Leeds are also said to be interested in a possible loan move for the keeper, as Newcastle will probably want at least £4 million for the 28 year-old, which might be a little too much for the club to afford for goalkeeper in January. Leeds were forced into starting Academy player, and England U20 keeper, Will Huffer. He actually played pretty well, but the risk of having only one senior keeper in the team might be too much for Leeds.
Darlow made 49 appearances for Newcastle United, getting 20 clean sheets in the process. He’s also made 111 appearances for Nottingham Forest, 10 appearances for Walsall, and eight appearances for Newport County. He started a majority of the Newcastle games in the 2016-17 season that saw the Magpies go right back up into the Premier League, but he’s only made 19 appearances in two seasons in the Premier League. This season has only seen him play once, and that was in a 3-1 League Cup loss to his former team Nottingham Forest.
Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been mostly solid this year at the back, but he’s had a few stumbles, with Marcelo Bielsa revealing that he would have started Blackman over Peacock-Farrell had Blackman not gotten injured. The very public revealing of that scenario has lit a fire under Peacock-Farrell, and he’s looked pretty good over the past few games. Leeds have kept four clean sheets in the last five games since the meltdown against West Bromwich Albion, which would have seen Blackman start the next match, had it not been for the untimely injury during the international break.
So will Darlow join Leeds? And will it be on a permanent deal? Let us know what you think in the comments!