LEEDS UNITED have leapt to the front of queue for Karl Darlow after Bournemouth opted to move for Inter Milan’s Ionut Radu rather than the Newcastle United goalkeeper.

With Magpies head coach Eddie Howe having decided that Darlow would be allowed to leave Tyneside this summer, Bournemouth officials held a series of talks with the 32-year-old and his representatives.

Earlier this month, a deal on the south coast had looked likely, but Newcastle’s financial demands for Darlow meant Bournemouth kept their options open and maintained parallel talks with alternative targets.

A deal has now been agreed that will see Romania international Radu, who spent the second half of last season at Auxerre, join Bournemouth on an initial loan deal, with an option for a potential permanent transfer further down the line.

Radu is due to have a medical with the Cherries tomorrow after the financial element of the proposed loan deal was agreed.

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With Bournemouth therefore out of the running for Darlow, and with Hull City and Middlesbrough having already shelved their interest in the Newcastle shot-stopper earlier this summer because of finances, the path is now open for Leeds to complete a deal.

Talks between Leeds and Newcastle officials have reached an advanced stage, with the Elland Road club keen to address their goalkeeping situation before the start of the new Championship season.

Joel Robles, who ended last season as Leeds’ number one, has moved on, while there is an expectation that Ilan Meslier will also be leaving West Yorkshire before the transfer swings shut at the end of the month.

Darlow will head to Leeds as the club’s new number one, with the proposed switch meaning he will not have to uproot from his current family base in the North-East.

Darlow is currently in the United States as part of the Newcastle squad for the Premier League Summer Series, but Howe has always been clear that he will be allowed to return to England if an opportunity for a move presents itself.

He was an unused substitute as Newcastle drew their opening Summer Series game with Aston Villa at the weekend, with Howe also having Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka, Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie in his squad. Pope is currently injured, although it is hoped he will have completed his recovery in time for the opening game of the Premier League season against Aston Villa on August 12.

Newcastle are close to completing another outgoing deal, with Garang Kuol on the verge of a loan switch to Dutch Eredivisie side FC Volendam.

The 18-year-old Australia international joined Newcastle in January, and spent the second half of last season on loan at Scottish Premier League side Hearts.

The terms of the loan have been agreed, with Kuol currently awaiting a work permit before linking up with his new team-mates in the Netherlands.