da betsul： According to reports in The Mirror, Leeds United are one of the clubs leading the chase to sign in-form Peterborough United striker Jack Marriott during the January transfer window.
da betway： The League One star has caught the attention of a number of clubs higher up the English Football League pyramid following an impressive campaign for the Posh, and The Mirror says the Yorkshire outfit are now keen to bring the £3m-rated attacker to Elland Road this month to boost their promotion push.
The Whites sold Chris Wood to Burnley during the summer but are yet to find a real replacement, with loanee Pierre-Michel Lasogga struggling for form and fitness, Calen Ekuban missing almost the entire campaign through injury and with Kemar Roofe often being played there despite not being an out-and-out striker.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United lie 13th in the Premier League table but they are only two points above the relegation zone, with their goal tally of 20 goals in 22 top flight matches certainly a cause for concern in their bid to avoid the drop.
Manager Rafa Benitez will be keen to add to his squad before the window slams shut on January 31, and bringing Marriott to St James’ Park could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Newcastle must hijack Leeds’ bid to sign the 23-year-old…
Goals
With 20 goals in their 22 Premier League matches – and with four of those coming from centre-backs Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark and seven coming from the striking trio of Dwight Gayle, Joselu and Aleksandar Mitrovic – it is clear to see that Newcastle need a new centre-forward this month.
While Marriott may not be the recognised name that the fans would want to see being brought in, there is no doubt that he is a goalscorer and full of confidence right now.
The 23-year-old has scored 23 goals in 36 appearances for Peterborough this term – Harry Kane is the only Englishman that has more than that tally – and he was also prolific for Luton Town previously, netting 28 goals in 54 starts.
Potential
Considering he has never played above League One level it would be something of a risk to sign Marriott, but as we have seen with the likes of Dele Alli, Rickie Lambert and even Gayle in the past, there are plenty of players that have proven that it is possible to make the step up and succeed.
The 23-year-old has shown his quality in front of goal for Peterborough this season, and he looks to have a real bright future in the game with plenty of time to develop and improve his game.
Newcastle could give him that opportunity to shine in the Premier League, and having seen how he has performed this season you wouldn’t bet against the striker taking it with both hands.
Price tag
With a proposed Newcastle United takeover seemingly no closer to completion, Rafa Benitez may well be working with a reduced transfer budget this month.
If that is the case then the Spaniard could be keeping tabs on the prolific Marriott, who could be available for around £3m according to The Mirror, although the fact that Peterborough held out for £5.5m when they sold Britt Assombalonga to Nottingham Forest in 2014 casts some doubt over that figure.
The 23-year-old would certainly be attainable for the Premier League side in a month which is known to be notoriously difficult to secure the targets you want by convincing clubs to sell for reasonable prices.
Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.