Newcastle United have told Leeds United to return with a new offer for Karl Darlow after a “cheeky load bid”, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper claim in their headline that the Championship leaders have made a move to sign the goalkeeper on loan for the rest of the season.
The Chronicle report that Newcastle “aren’t interested in farming out their number two goalkeeper on loan and will only listen to cash offers” for a player they value at around the £4million mark.
Good move for Newcastle?
It is if the Premier League club can secure a £4million fee next month for a player who is out of contract in 18 months. Darlow was a key player in Newcastle’s promotion campaign of two seasons ago, but he is not in the class of established number one Martin Dubravka and rising star Freddie Woodman looks capable of replacing him in second place in the pecking order. It makes sense for Newcastle to offload the former Nottingham Forest man at a time when he can still secure a multi-million pound fee. He will be even cheaper at the end of the season and Leeds’ interest and that of other second-tier clubs means the timing feels right.
This Is Futbol rating 7/10
Likely to happen?
The transfer is still more likely to happen that not happen, but it appears to be far from a done deal, as things stand. Following Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s latest error-strewn display on Boxing Day, Leeds are likely to have even more motivation to push ahead with plans to land Darlow. Newcastle are unlikely to make it easy for them, though, and the Championship big guns could have to offer a multi-million fee to push through the transfer.
This Is Futbol rating 7/10