Championship leaders Leeds United are now the most likely Championship team to sign Newcastle’s back-up Premier League goalkeeper Karl Darlow in January.
It seems the pursuit of Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow has become a one-horse race.
The Sun reported earlier in December that Championship duo Leeds and Aston Villa both wanted to sign the 28-year-old with a new shot-stopper needed at both clubs.
But Villa have now bowed out of the chase with the Telegraph reporting that Croatian international Lovre Kalinic is on his way to the Second City instead. The 6ft 7ins Gent star is understood to be undergoing a medical on Thursday ahead of a £7 million switch.
This, however, does not mean that Leeds are guaranteed to bring Darlow to Elland Road.
The Mirror (20 December, page 58) reports that there is still work to be done. It is claimed that Leeds would prefer to sign the former Nottingham Forest youngster on loan until the end of the season but Newcastle want to cash in, with a £4 million price-tag on the ‘keeper’s head.
The Mirror believes that the difference in stance is likely to be an obstacle in negotiations that could scupper Leeds’ hopes of bringing Darlow to West Yorkshire.
Although if Victor Orta and co can get the deal over the line, they will have a shot-stopper who lifted the Championship title with Newcastle in 2017, producing a series of outstanding virtuoso displays en route to promotion.
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