Leeds will shortly complete the signing of another Chelsea youngster on a season-long loan, this time goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.

The news of Leeds United’s second signing of the summer will come as a relief to those fans who have been taking to social media in droves to worry about the club’s inability to get any more deal over the line. And to independent websites who like to have something concrete to write about rather than the latest transfer speculation.

Leeds certainly need at least one more goalkeeper in the squad after the understandable decisions to release Felix Wiedwald and Andy Lonegran. But up till now the search has been a frustrating one, with Angus Gunn moving to Southampton and David Stockdale remaining at Birmingham after an apparent failure to agree on his wages.

So attention has switched to Blackman, who is likely to complete a medical at the start of the week and to face Forest Green Rovers in Tuesday night’s friendly. It had been anticipated that Leeds would look for an experienced keeper as a backup to Bailey Peacock-Farrell, but at 24 Blackman is still relatively youthful in goalkeeping terms.

The current indication is that Blackman is likely to start the new season as first choice keeper at Leeds. He hails from Croydon, and has been on Chelsea’s books throughout his career to date, though he his only first team appearance to date for the Blues came in a League Cup tie at Liverpool. But he has made a total of 33 appearances for other clubs during five separate loan spells.

His prospects of adding to his one first team game Stamford Bridge are currently remote while they have Thibaut Courtois and Willy Caballero in the squad, even though there have been suggestions that Courtois might make a big money move elsewhere after his performances at the World Cup. So Blackman is heading out of the Bridge once again to gain more experience.

Blackman was at Sheffield United last season, and his wanderings have also taken him to Middlesbrough, Wycombe and Swedish club Ostersunds. He was generally impressive for the Blades, but blotted his copy book at Brentford for getting sent off after getting involved in an altercation when a home forward tried to grab the ball after they pulled a goal back late in the game.

So it sounds like he’s going to fit right in at Dirty Leeds. He will have received top class coaching during his time at Stamford Bridge, and we can be reasonably confident that this move will turn out well for both the player and for Leeds United. Now if we can just complete a couple of signings in a few other positions…

Reuters Media Express

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