Leeds and West Brom to battle for prolific hitman in January

The Championship’s top two Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion are set to go head-to-head for Hull City ace Jarrod Bowen in January, according to reports.

Bowen finished last season as Hull’s top scorer and the 22-year-old attacker has continued his rich vein of form this season, netting 15 Championship goals and not missing a minute of league action for the Yorkshire side.

That form though has many clubs on alert, though it seems the British player, who can operate on the right flank, just behind the forward or leading the line himself, is set to remain in the Championship.

Leeds and West Brom are tied on 46 points at the top of the division with Leeds leading the way on goal difference.

But the pair are now 11 points clear of third place Fulham and are looking for that edge over the other, and Bowen could certainly prove to be that.

FFP could well make the difference though with West Brom reportedly having the healthier bank balance.

Hull reportedly value Bowen at around £10million, a fee which would likely cause issues for Leeds who have admitted to cutting it fine with FFP for this season.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Bielsa has told talented Leeds youngsters Robbie Gotts, Alfie McCalmont and Leif Davis to continue doing what they’re doing – but he admits he feels guilty over their lack of playing time and insists he would not blame them if they asked to be allowed to move on.

The Whites go into Saturday’s clash against Cardiff at Elland Road with a huge 11-point buffer to third place, though Bielsa was keen to guard against complacency when questioned on Thursday.

Bielsa notoriously keeps his first-team changes to a minimum and regularly keeps faith with a winning side.

And while that has its advantages, it means a number of their talented youngsters have had to wait patiently for their chance to get a look-in. Read more…