As reported by The Athletic, Leeds United are looking for ways to secure the signature of Newcastle United left-back Matt Targett before the close of the January transfer window.
There are suggestions that Newcastle could be disposed to selling the defender, and Leeds have made contact to explore a deal.
Leeds Eye New Signings for Promotion Push
Leeds United struggle and battle to get back to the Premier League.
After 29 matches, they are leading the Championship league and all indicators show that they will secure promotion.
But manager Daniel Farke still wishes to fortify his squad to make sure his team stays on track.
Leeds were reported to be interested in Villa’s Emi Buendia at the beginning of the transfer market, but it looks like he will go to Bayer Leverkusen on loan.
So this indicates that Leeds have been searching for a creative midfielder, but as of right now, all of their focus seems to be shifted towards strengthening their back line.
Matt Targett Not Getting Game Time at Newcastle
Matt Targett was acquired by Newcastle from Aston Villa in 2022, and however, he has not been used frequently in this season.
Eddie Howe seems to prefer the much younger left-back Lewis Hall, and this has limited Targett to only two appearances this season.
In the few games that Targett has featured this season, he has only been given a total of 80 minutes on the pitch which includes 11 minutes in the premier league and 69 minutes in the FA Cup.
Since he has very little time on the field, Newcastle are willing to allow him to be sold and Leeds are interested in trying to sign him to Elland Road.
Why Leeds Want Targett
At the moment, Leeds have three left-backs in their squad Junior Firpo, Sam Byram, and Isaac Schmidt.
However, only Firpo is naturally left-footed. Targett, being a natural left-sided player, would add balance to Leeds’ defence and provide more options for Farke.
Targett is also an experienced player at 29 years old. Having played in the Premier League for Southampton, Aston Villa, and Newcastle, he could bring much-needed maturity to Leeds’ young squad.
His experience could be vital in the final months of the season when every game matters for promotion.
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