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Newcastle United want to sign Leeds defender Cody Drameh - report
Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund are keeping a close eye on Leeds youngster Cody Drameh ahead of the January transfer window, according to Mail Sport.
The England under-21 full-back joined The Whites from Fulham last summer and spent the second half of the season on loan at Championship side Cardiff City.
During his time on loan, he was named both their young player and player of the season, after only making 22 appearances for the club.
However, since returning to Elland Road, Drameh has found game time hard to come by, with summer signing Rasmus Kristensen and the experienced Luke Ayling ahead of him in Jesse Marsch’s pecking order.
Mail Sport journalist Adrian Kajumba believes Drameh’s lack of minutes has put both Newcastle and Dortmund on red-hot alert.
He stated: “Newcastle spent deadline day trying to land West Ham’s young right back youngster Harrison Ashby but were unable to get the deal over the line.
“They retain an interest in Ashby but Drameh also fits the profile they are looking for as a player who would not take up one of the slots in their 25-man Premier League squad due to his age.
“Dortmund, meanwhile, are no strangers to the English market and, in particular, snapping up young talent and accelerating their development by offering them a platform to perform at first-team level.”
Fresh start
Drameh’s days at Leeds United could be numbered following his omission from their Carabao Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the midweek.
The 20-year-old fullback was a strange commission from a line-up which included plenty of youthful talent, including the likes of Darko Gyabi, Sonny Perkins and Joe Gelhardt.
Whether the youngster was in fact injured for the match has not yet been confirmed, but the more time he spends out of the Leeds side, the more Newcastle and Dortmund will come looking.
A move to either club would make complete sense, particularly Newcastle, who have Kieran Trippier nailed down as their first-choice right-back but limited options behind him.
Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth are the other two alternatives for Eddie Howe, but Krafth remains out with a long-term knee injury while Manquillo’s future at the club is still undecided.
Wherever he goes, Drameh’s time at Elland Road could be coming to a close.
In other news, youth football expert surprised at ‘tenacious’ Everton ace Antony Gordon.