Leeds United eye move for Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow

Leeds are keen to take Darlow from St James’ Park and are understood to have made enquiries about his availability with a new keeper a major priority for Marcelo Bielsa next month.

Bielsa has coped with one senior keeper, Northern Ireland international Bailey Peacock-Farrell, since on-loan Jamal Blackman broke a leg during an Under-23s game five weeks ago.

The injury, which required surgery, ended Blackman’s season and saw him go back to Chelsea without making a league appearance for United.

Bielsa revealed that Peacock-Farrell, who had been ever-present in the Championship, was set to be dropped before Blackman’s setback and despite Peacock-Farrell remaining in the starting line-up, United’s head coach wants to bring another proven option to the club.

Darlow, 28, is an experienced player who won promotion from the Championship with Newcastle in 2017 and made over 100 league appearances in two separate spells with Nottingham Forest.

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He is behind Martin Dubravka under Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez, however, and is one of four keepers on the books at St James’ Park. His place on the bench has been coming under pressure from talented youngster Freddie Woodman.

Sources on Tyneside say Newcastle are open to discussions and value Darlow at £4m but Leeds could look to prise him away on a loan deal for the second half of the Championship term.

The club want to secure a new arrival early in the window having survived for a month without experienced cover on their bench.

Darlow suffered an elbow injury late last month but is not looking at an extended absence.

Asked about the possibility of signing a keeper last week, Bielsa said: “Until now I haven’t got any news. If I had any news about that I would comment immediately.”