Leeds United are reportedly keen to retain Karl Darlow with the goalkeeper in the final months of his contract.
The 35-year-old put pen to paper on a three-year deal when he joined from Newcastle United in the summer of 2023.
He had to bide his time but is now the club’s first-choice goalkeeper having beaten off competition from Illan Meslier and Lucas Perri.
Karl Darlow's Leeds United contract is due to expire this summer.placeholder image
Karl Darlow's Leeds United contract is due to expire this summer. | Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images
Leeds United’s stance on Karl Darlow
Former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers scout Mick Brown told Football Insider: “Leeds are keen to keep hold of Karl Darlow. Regardless of whether or not they sign a new goalkeeper, he’s proven this season he can be a good option when called upon.
“It’s always useful to have a player like that in your squad who you can rely on and who also has plenty of experience at club and international level.
“Plus, if they don’t manage to find a new goalkeeper who is available for the right price, they’re going to need him as one of their options as we’ve seen.
“Darlow will be happy to stay as well, I expect, given he’s played quite a big role in the side this season and is clearly part of their plans.”
Karl Darlow is currently the first-choice goalkeeper at Leeds United.placeholder image
Karl Darlow is currently the first-choice goalkeeper at Leeds United. | Warren Little/Getty Images
Karl Darlow’s time at Leeds United
Leeds signed Darlow following their relegation to the Championship, impressed by his exploits on loan at Hull City.
He spent the entirety of his first season as an understudy and watched from the bench as Daniel Farke’s side lost to Southampton in the 2024 play-off final.
However, he was the goalkeeper who helped Leeds get over the line and clinch the Championship title a year later.
He briefly returned to his back-up brief post-promotion but a series of blunders from £15.6m signing Perri pushed Darlow back into the number one spot.
Not only is Darlow now the main man between the sticks at Elland Road, he has established himself as the number one for Craig Bellamy’s Wales.
He said: “I’d been linked here a couple of times before that in different windows. It was a place that always kept cropping up, almost three of four windows before I actually came. I felt there was something there, that I wanted to go and see what I could achieve here.
“Yeah, absolutely [it was the right move]. No doubt about it. I think it came at the right time for me at Newcastle. I’d been there a long time and don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the place and I love the club, but at the time I wasn’t playing and I was getting no younger.
Karl Darlow has made a total of 31 appearances for Leeds United since his arrival in 2023.placeholder image
Karl Darlow has made a total of 31 appearances for Leeds United since his arrival in 2023. | Cody Froggatt/PA Wire
“I went out on loan to Hull, really enjoyed my time at Hull, with the intention of getting out that summer.
“That’s why I did the loan, because I wanted to leave in the summer knowing I wasn’t going to be the first choice, I wasn’t going to be the second choice, and I didn’t want to play the third-choice role because I felt I could could give more than that still, at this time in my career. It came at exactly the right time and thankfully, Leeds United wanted me. The rest is history.”