Leeds United are understood to have watched Jack Colback for Newcastle’s reserves – but a return to the Championship looks unlikely.
Jack Colback’s nightmare at Newcastle United looks set to come to an end sooner rather than later.
The midfielder hasn’t played a minute of first-team football all season after being told by manager Rafa Benitez that he is not part of his plans.
And, according to The Chronicle, Newcastle are desperate to get rid of the local lad in the January transfer window with a number of Championship teams understood to be interested. One of those, Leeds United, sent scouts to watch Colback in action for the Magpies’ reserve team last month.
But with the midfielder on wages of around £40,000 a week, which is likely to be well beyond Leeds’ budget, it seems that a loan move would be the only way that the club could afford to bring Colback to Elland Road in January.
It must be pointed out, after all, that Leeds are paying just £15,000 of Pierre-Michel Lasogga’s wages during his loan spell from Hamburg, with the Bundesliga club contributing around £35,000 themselves, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The question, therefore, is whether Colback is even a necessary addition for a Leeds side who are not exactly short of central midfielders similar in style to the former Sunderland man.
There are other positions in Leeds’ squad more in need of investment, particularly at centre-forward and left-back. And how much impact would a defensive midfielder like Colback really have on a side during a short-term loan spell?
Either way, if Leeds do want to bring Colback to Elland Road, it appears that they would have to convince Newcastle to let him leave on loan while paying much of his weekly wage.
In short, a deal looks unlikely.
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