Leeds United still in for Jonathan Rowe with deal likely this week
Leeds United are still in the race to sign in-demand Norwich City attacker Jonathan Rowe, according to Sky Sports.
Writing on their live transfer blog [20 August], Lyall Thomas reported that Marseille are closing in on an agreement with Norwich for the 21-year-old.
The Ligue 1 side have offered a loan deal with an obligation to buy at the end of the season for £13.6million.
However, Leeds remain in the race and could also look to reach an agreement, with a deal looking “increasingly likely” with either the Whites or Marseille this week.
Leeds United still have a chance to sign Jonathan Rowe
Leeds need to act fast in the remaining 10 days of the transfer window to secure their reported main target to replace Crysencio Summerville.
The Whites should have the upper hand against Marseille if a bidding war breaks out, having recouped nearly £100m this summer from the sales of Summerville, Archie Gray and Georginio Rutter.
Rowe has been missing from the Norwich matchday squad this season as the Canaries await a resolution regarding his future.
Marseille have haggled over the price for weeks and Leeds can’t bide their time any longer if they want to secure his signature.
Rabbi Matondo was considered an alternative cut-price option [Football Scotland], but those reports have since been discredited and Rowe has emerged as the only option the Whites are considering to bolster the forward line.
The England U21 international contributed 12 goals and two assists in the Championship last term and, while considered good enough to help fill the void left by Summerville, Farke also now has Rutter to consider when targeting replacements in the latter stages of the window.
Leeds are entering treacherous waters. The squad is capable of mounting a challenge for automatic promotion this season but attempting that feat without replacing two of their star players is too big a risk.
The clock is ticking now for Farke and supporters can only hope that Marseille’s interest will kick-start Leeds into hijacking the deal for Rowe.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are readying a huge Manuel Benson transfer.
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