Leeds United and Coventry City plotting transfer move for Newcastle United forward | OneFootball

Wilson is said to be attracting interest from the Championship duo

Leeds United and Coventry City are among the sides exploring the possibility of signing Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson.

That is according to a report from TBR Football on Thursday afternoon, which states that the two Championship promotion hopefuls could face competition from both West Ham United and AFC Bournemouth, with both Premier League clubs showing previous interest in the 32-year-old.

The Whites and Sky Blues have been two of the biggest spenders in the second tier in the past two seasons, with Leeds currently leading the division on 69 points after the opening 32 games of the season, whilst Coventry have enjoyed a strong run of results under Frank Lampard since the former Chelsea legend took over from Mark Robins.

Wilson is said to also be exploring his options at this moment in time, which could open the door for his hometown club or Leeds to make a move, despite the strong competition they are likely to face for his signature.

Wilson has become part of the furniture at St James' Park in recent seasons, with the experienced frontman signing for £20m back in September 2020.

Since then, the nine-time England international has featured 114 times for the Magpies under Steve Bruce and Eddie Howe, scoring on 49 occasions - an average of 2.32 goals per game.

His most fruitful season on Tyneside came in the remarkable 2022/23 campaign - the first full season under the ownership of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund - as the Geordies reached the EFL Cup final and secured a first stint in the UEFA Champions League for 20 years, with Wilson forming a lethal partnership with Alexander Isak, scoring 18 times in 31 appearances.

However, he has made just 32 appearances since August 2023, just a month before his current deal was signed, which is set to expire on June 30th.

The striker netted his first goal of the season against Birmingham City in the FA Cup last Saturday after returning from a lengthy hamstring issue, with Chris Waugh of the Athletic stating afterward that Newcastle have the option to extend his deal until 2026, although that seems unlikely at this moment in time.

It was then reported by talkSPORT that West Ham, now managed by Graham Potter, are keeping a close eye on Wilson's situation, with sources close to the Coventry-born man stating that he wants to remain a Premier League player, with the Hammers showing previous interest in the summer.

And, according to fresh revelations by TBR Football, it is understood by the forward that he is likely to leave the North East outfit.

This has led to both Leeds and Coventry, alongside another of his former clubs in Bournemouth and the aforementioned East London side all eyeing up a potential raid ahead of next season.

Leeds United and Coventry City may have to secure promotion to stand a chance in Callum Wilson race

Based on the aforementioned set of circumstances, it feels like the West Yorkshire and West Midlands outfits would have to reclaim their top-flight status to stand a chance of securing Wilson's signature.

United are the side in pole position to do so, and the man who has 88 goals in 225 Premier League appearances would certainly add further instinctiveness in front of goal for Daniel Farke's side and increase the quality of an already dynamic frontline that includes Manor Solomon, who could leave Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, Brenden Aaronson, Dan James and 14-goal man, Joel Piroe.

The Sky Blues do have quality of their own at the top end of the pitch, although Ellis Simms hasn't hit the heights of last season, whilst Haji Wright, who was the subject of interest from M69 rivals, Leicester City, in January, is nearing a return from injury.

However, the opportunity to see out the latter stages of his career at the CBS Arena under Lampard could turn Wilson's head, having come through the ranks at his hometown club and eventually scoring 23 goals in 55 appearances.

His breakthrough came during a difficult period for City, which saw them groundshare at Northampton Town's Sixfields during his final season, before moving to the Cherries for a fee in excess of £3m.

In the short-term, Wilson will be hoping to contribute towards a European push for the Magpies, as they currently find themselves in sixth place, as well as having another EFL Cup final on the horizon, where they will face Liverpool.