Leeds were linked with a move for Newcastle’s Jack Colback earlier in the season.
Newcastle United midfielder Jack Colback is just one of six Toon outcasts that has been reportedly told he can leave Tyneside this summer, so should Leeds United reignite their interest in the tough-tackling midfielder?
TeamTalk claimed back in September that Leeds were one of a number of Championship sides interested in the 28-year-old midfielder, along with the likes of Sunderland, Derby, Bristol City and Reading.
However, Colback instead joined Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season, where he made 16 Championship appearances and even scored in the club’s final game of the season – a 3-2 loss to Bolton.
Paul Heckingbottom, then, should look to convince the club’s owners to reignite Leeds’ reported interest from December and consider a move to sign Colback – who is twice the player of current midfielder Eunan O’Kane.
Ireland international O’Kane has endured a dismal season, where he was continually given a chance in the middle of the park but failed to hit the heights expected of the former Bournemouth man.
Sloppy mistakes, inaccurate passing and multiple losses of discipline have made O’Kane somewhat of a liability in the Leeds side, and he seriously needs replacing.
Colback is a very similar type of player to O’Kane, known for his passing and shielding of the back four as well as being strong in the tackle. However, Colback is simply much better at it, than O’Kane.
Landing Colback, who boasts Championship promotion experience following an excellent 2016-17 campaign with Newcastle, would take Leeds a step closer to a Premier League return after 14 years in the Football League.
The only stumbling block would be that the Chronicle report claims Colback earns £40,000 a week at Newcastle, and a deal must be reached for Leeds to be able to secure a deal.
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