Newcastle United can seal early striker signing amid Jonathan David transfer twist

Newcastle United are understood to have scouted Jonathan David in January as the Canada striker heads into the final few months of his Lille contract.

Coventry City and Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Callum Wilson amid Newcastle United already starting initial talks on a contract renewal.

Wilson, who turns 33 later on this month, is in the final six months of his current deal at the club. After two months out with a thigh injury, the striker recently returned to start and score against Birmingham City in the FA Cup fourth round win at St Andrew’s.

A long-term back problem also kept the former England international side-lined for the first three months of this season. As such, Wilson has only made six appearances – and has been on the pitch for just 115 minutes combined.

TBR Football claims Coventry head coach Frank Lampard, specifically, and Leeds are potential suitors ahead of the summer. Previous interest from Bournemouth and West Ham United is also acknowledged.

Eddie Howe, however, has refused to rule out the forward signing a new contract. Asked whether Wilson had any prospect of a future at Newcastle beyond his current deal, Howe said before the Birmingham tie: “Yeah, absolutely there is. I can’t write the future. I can’t predict what’s going to happen. I’d never write Callum Wilson off.”

Then, after the match, when asked if it would cost Newcastle a big chunk of their summer budget to replace Wilson, Howe told Chronicle Live: “Yes – I totally agree. That’s why Callum is such a valuable player for us.

“It seems like the art of goal-scoring and finishing is diminishing, I don’t see a huge amount of strikers in world football who can do what Callum can do.” That is not for lack of looking either, as Chronicle Live understands a high-level club employee scouted Jonathan David last month.