Leeds United expected to complete Karl Darlow transfer from Newcastle United this week amid travel for medical
Leeds United are expected to complete their second signing of the summer window “this week” when Karl Darlow’s move from Newcastle is tied up, Leeds Live reports.
The goalkeeper had appeared to be heading for a move to Bournemouth until the Cherries agreed a deal to sign Andrei Radu from Inter on Tuesday [Fabrizio Romano, 25 July].
Darlow was then reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie the same day to be “close” to an Elland Road move, with the 32-year-old set to return to the UK for a Whites medical from the Magpie’s US tour.
Now Leeds Live’s Beren Cross has provided an update on the timeline for the deal to be sealed, with everything now tipped to be sorted within days.
The former Hull City and Nottingham Forest loanee will join Ethan Ampadu as Daniel Farke’s only additions to the squad so far.
Cross writes on Wednesday morning: “Karl Darlow is expected to complete his transfer from Newcastle United this week, but Farke is well aware there is so much work still to be done with refining this squad.”
Speed up
It is a definite positive that the work behind the scenes appears to have come up with the goods on Darlow despite what looked like being a lost cause amid the Bournemouth links.
The Newcastle back-up will be pencilled in as the starter for the Championship with Illan Meslier still thought likely to depart this summer.
There aren’t believed to have been any bids for the Frenchman so far however [The Athletic, 25 July], with his miserable end to the previous campaign potentially having depressed the transfer market for him.
While a late offer before deadline day would surely see the Frenchman go it leaves open the prospect that the 23-year-old, who lost his place for the final four games of last season to Joel Robles, could remain at Elland Road at least until January.
That would give Farke an impressive pair of experienced keepers for a promotion push and suddenly have the position looking like a strength.
But Darlow’s arrival, assuming it is indeed tied up within a matter of days, should end the panic over Meslier being snapped up after the season has begun and should now allow the manager and his staff to turn their attentions to much-needed new arrivals elsewhere.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites boss appears to have announced that two key Elland Road men will be staying past the close of the transfer window.
