Leeds United have made their opening move to land Newcastle United striker Chris Wood.
According to Leeds All Over, Premier League side Leeds United have enquired about making a move for Newcastle United striker Chris Wood on loan in the January transfer window.
The New Zealand international was one of Newcastle’s first signings under the new ownership but has failed to make much of an impact at St James Park. Wood has made 35 appearances for the Magpies in all competitions, netting a mere five goals in the process.
The arrival of Alexander Isak in the summer has seen Wood fall further down the pecking order and is now arguably Newcastle’s third-best striker when the squad is fully fit. At 31, he might still have another Premier League transfer left in him. And a move to Elland Road could be a welcome decision.
Wood is not a stranger to the Yorkshire club, having donned the colours for two seasons from 2015-17. The New Zealander scored 44 goals and provided nine assists in 88 games for the Peacocks, an impressive record that Leeds will hope he can replicate.
Leeds have struggled to find the back of the net regularly and average just over a goal a game so far in the Premier League this season. Patrick Bamford continues to struggle with injuries, while Rodrigo remains as inconsistent as ever.
The lack of a reliable goalscorer is visible on the Leeds roster, and they will do well to address it, lest be drawn into another relegation dogfight. Jesse Marsch will have to do with a limited war chest in January, and Wood could be a stop-gap option worth pursuing.
Wood has found the back of the net twice in his last three Premier League games and appears to be approaching a purple patch of form at the right time. Leeds have already sounded out to Newcastle about taking the 31-year-old on loan, and it remains to be seen how the Magpies respond.
The veteran striker is an experienced player well capable of leading the line in the right system. He has been a poor fit at Newcastle, and an exit, even one that is temporary could be what he needs to get his career back on track.
Leeds have several young players on their roster, and adding Wood into the midst will bring in some much-needed experience. Just two points separate Marsch’s men from the bottom three, and they will need all the help they can to avoid any hiccups in form. Having been there and done that, Wood could be the rallying point they need in attack to secure their status as a top-flight side.
