OPINION
Leeds United must go into overdrive to welcome Newcastle United forward Adam Armstrong to Elland Road for the 2018/19 campaign.
The Whites, who scored 59 goals in 46 league games, are in need of a new prolific forward to fire them up the league next season and there are few better options to take than the current Magpies attacker.
This is certainly the case when you consider that Rafa Benitez’s side are preparing to listen to cash offers, as reported by the Chronicle, for Armstrong instead of just loaning him out.
It was claimed that the Magpies manager is in need of a new centre-forward for his side and with that being the case, Armstrong faces being sacrificed in this window in order for funds to be raised so Benitez can get his new recruit.
The 21-year-old local lad has only ever been afforded 21 chances in the first-team, with a lot of those being short opportunities to say the least, and this has seen his potential wasted at St James Park.
Armstrong has shown glimpses of his ability while spending time away from the Magpies on loan, particularly in the second half of the 2017/18 campaign when he excelled at Ewood Park.
The forward scored nine goals in 21 appearances for Blackburn Rovers to help them win promotion from League One and his goals at the club saw him end the season having grabbed 12 in total.
Armstrong had previously bagged himself three goals in the 23 games he featured in for Bolton, who he was on loan at for the first half of the recently ended campaign.
While the 21-year-old’s goal return in the Championship isn’t exactly mouthwatering, it should be noted that he was not only playing for a struggling side, he was also being wrongly used as a winger in many of the matches he played in.
If utilised as a centre-forward, Armstrong would be a force to be reckon with in England’s second-tier and Leeds need to ensure that they’re the ones to reap the rewards from his ability.
Given his age and how he ended the season in prolific fashion at Blackburn, competition for Armstrong will be fierce but the Whites are capable of getting his signature if they go all out for his services.
Therefore with the Magpies reportedly being willing to sacrifice their 21-year-old forward, which could one day soon be a regrettable decision, Leeds must pull up trees to ensure they sign him after he scored 12 goals in the 2017/18 season.
