Leeds United opinion: Whites should raid Portsmouth for top-scorer Jamal Lowe
According toLeeds Live, Leeds United are amongst the Championship clubs to have registered an interest in Portsmouth winger Jamal Lowe ahead of the summer transfer window.
Leeds Live reports that Lowe is keen to test his credentials at a higher level, following Portsmouth’s defeat to Sunderland on aggregate in the semi-finals of the League One Playoffs.
Leeds United are not the only Championship outfit to be linked with Lowe though, with Leeds Live claiming that Middlesbrough and West Brom are also keen on bringing the 25-year-old winger to the second division next season.
Lowe enjoyed a wonderful season at Fratton Park this term and contributed with a staggering 15 goals and 9 assists in League One to propel Portsmouth to a 4th-place finish in the league. That, however, wasn’t going to be enough, as Kenny Jackett’s side lost out to Sunderland in the playoffs.
The 25-year-old’s prolific season in the third-tier and Portsmouth’s failure to secure promotion have prompted the Championship sides to flirt with the winger, although he is under contract at Fratton Park until the summer of 2020.
Lowe played for a host of non-league sides, including Barnet, St. Albans City, Boreham Wood, Farnborough and Hampton and Richmond Borough before making his move to Portsmouth in League Two in 2016.
He helped Pompey secure promotion to the third-tier in his very first season and has gradually established himself as one of the most effective wide players in League One.
The Englishman has made a total of 119 appearances for Portsmouth in all competitions, scoring 29 goals and setting up another 18 in the process, numbers which are quite good for an out-and-out wide player.
Meanwhile, Leeds’ hunt for promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 15 years came to nothing, as the Whites went down 4-3 to Derby County on aggregate in the semi-finals of the playoffs.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side were once in the race for automatic promotion but they blew it away with a poor run of form over the Easter period and they have now got to start right from the scratch again.
Missing out on promotion is bound to force them to alter their stance in the transfer window. The Whites are now expected to look at bargain deals in the summer window and Portsmouth’s Jamal Lowe is someone who can offer good value for money.
Leeds need to invest heavily in their wide options before the start of the next campaign and a replacement for Man City loanee Jack Harrison should be high on Bielsa’s recruitment list.
Jack Clarke enjoyed a promising breakout season this term and one would expect the youngster to be involved a lot more in the next campaign but Leeds can still do with more depth in that area.
Pablo Hernandez has been a key source of goals and assists but given that the Spaniard is going to turn 34 next season, it would be wise for Leeds to bring in younger reinforcements.
Jamal Lowe is a fast, agile and tricky winger with plenty of flair and quality on the ball and also has a good eye for key passes in the final third.
He is adept at converting as well as creating chances and Leeds should relish having an impact player like him in their ranks. As a matter of fact, he might prove to be that X-factor in Leeds’ attack next season.
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That said, the acquisition of Lowe might just give them the edge over their rivals in the race for promotion next term.
