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Report: Leeds to be offered chance to land £25k-p/w man in bargain deal

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Image for Report: Leeds to be offered chance to land £25k-p/w man in bargain deal

Leeds United will be offered the chance to sign Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow for free in the summer, according to Football Insider.

The Whites have history for targeting Darlow, with it claimed United saw offers rejected last summer and the previous January window as boss Marcelo Bielsa considered potential reinforcements between the sticks.

Newcastle rejected all advances, however, as the Magpies were adamant that they would have an experienced back up to hand should undisputed first-choice shot-stopper Martin Dubravka befall any issues during the 2019/20 campaign.

Several leading Championship sides, including the Whites, are thought to have been turned away by the Toon over the past year, with offers worth around £4million allegedly placed.

Newcastle are now set to take a huge financial hit after rejecting those offers, as Darlow is preparing to test himself in free agency this summer with his £25,000-per-week contract at St. James’ Park entering its final months.

Darlow believes he can secure a lucrative, long-term deal if he does leave the North East as a free agent, in what would be a potential bargain deal for the multiple sides still said to be interested in his services despite only playing three FA Cup and one Carabao Cup ties all season.

Would you back a move for Darlow in the summer?

Yes

Yes

No

Toon head coach Steve Bruce has named Darlow among his substitutes for all bar one Premier League fixtures since taking up the position last year, with the Northampton-born ‘keeper omitted on matchday 17 away to Burnley.

Darlow conceded once in the Carabao Cup to Leicester City before being beaten 5-3 on penalties in the Second Round clash, while allowing League One Rochdale to score once in the FA Cup Third Round before Oxford United would score twice past him in the Fourth Round.

The 29-year-old last started a Premier League fixture on February 4, 2018 against Crystal Palace before being replaced by Dubravka, having conceded 15 goals in ten top-flight matches that term.

He had been a mainstay of former manager Rafa Benitez’s plans in the Championship during the 2016/17 season on route to the second-tier title, with 34 appearances from 38 games in which he kept 13 clean sheets while conceding 32 times.

It remains to be seen whether Leeds will make a fresh approach for Darlow come the summer when he becomes a free agent, though United could be on the lookout for another option between the sticks following reports suggesting Manchester City’s Claudio Bravo could replace Kiko Casilla.

In other Leeds United news, a prominent Whites pundit has demanded more from a £2.7m-rated man leaving his teammates “fearful” after recent blunders.

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