Leeds United: Morison in Elland Road talks as Becchio swap deal gathers pace

The 29-year-old, a loan target for Millwall earlier this week, has fallen out of favour at Carrow Road and is seen as the perfect replacement for United’s wantaway top scorer by Neil Warnock. Canaries manager Chris Hughton is desperate to land Becchio and has used Morison as bait along with a cash settlement. Both clubs have until 11pm tonight to force the move through. Morison is understood to have travelled north yesterday just as Becchio was heading to East Anglia to discuss terms and undergo a medical. Late interest from the Premier League has turned the head of the Argentinian, who as recently as last weekend was keen on moving abroad. United’s 19-goal top scorer handed a transfer request in last Thursday amid serious interest from China. Leeds indicating that they would allow their longest serving player to leave if the right deal could be agreed then alerted others, most notably an unnamed Turkish side who made two unsuccessful bids over the weekend. Norwich also made their interest known and followed that up with a cash-plus Morison offer at the start of this week. Becchio now seems set to follow in the footsteps of former United team-mates Robert Snodgrass, Bradley Johnson and Jonny Howson in joining the Norfolk club. The news that Leeds will also receive a fee along with Morison, who cost the Canaries £2.1m from Millwall in 2011, will bolster Warnock’s attempts to strengthen further before the window closes. He is keen to tie up a deal for Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock after offering an 18-month contract to ward off interest from West Ham United. The Leeds chief is also desperate to bring in a wide player to add some much-needed pace to the squad. Several enquiries have been made over the past 48 hours. Only today will reveal whether they have come to anything or not but, providing the Morison deal goes through, Warnock will be delighted to bring in a ready-made replacement for Becchio. It is understood that the Norwich man’s wages at Carrow Road are similar to the £13,000 weekly pay packet that Becchio has been on since signing his new deal at Elland Road in November, 2010. Leeds did offer the Argentinian a new, improved three-and-a-half year contract when the interest from China first emerged. Millwall manager Kenny Jackett enquired about a possible return to The Den for Morison but he has been told by Norwich that the striker will instead be going to Leeds as a makeweight in the Becchio deal. United’s FA Cup tie at Manchester City will kick off at 2pm on Sunday, February 17, screened live on ESPN. Hull City boss Steve Bruce, who saw a bid for Wolves’ Sylvan Ebanks Blake turned down yesterday, is working overtime to bring in a new striker and has been linked with a beat-the-deadline move for Blackpool veteran Kevin Phillips. QPR forward DJ Campbell remains at the top of the wish list of Bruce, who yesterday agreed six-month loan deals for Egyptian internationals Gedo and defender Ahmed Fathi. Striker Gedo was the Golden Boot winner at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. Former Barnsley and Rotherham United boss Mark Robins, now manager at Coventry City, has expressed an interest in Sheffield Wednesday striker Gary Madine, who could move out on loan today. York City have made their fifth signing of the transfer window, bringing in Swansea City defender Curtis Obeng on an initial month’s loan. Obeng becomes York’s fifth recent signing following the arrivals of striker David McDaid from League Of Ireland Premier Division side Derry, teenager Jack O’Connell on loan from Blackburn, fellow defender Jameel Ible, 19, from Salford City and striker Ben Everson from Icelandic side Breidablik. One big move on Merseyside went through yesterday as Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho completed an £8.5m switch to Liverpool, but Everton’s signing of FC Twente star Leroy Fer fell through. Coutinho, 20, joined the Reds from Inter Milan but Everton pulled the plug on the Fer deal after failing to agree on renegotiated terms with the Dutch side following the knee problem that emerged during the medical. Harry Redknapp, meanwhile, was closing in on a significant signing for QPR in the form of centre-back Chris Samba from Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala. QPR triggered the £12.5m release clause in his contract and the Congo international, for years a stalwart at Blackburn, is seen as the ideal man to replace his former Rovers defensive partner Ryan Nelsen, who is heading to Canada to become head coach of Toronto FC. Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who retired from international football in 2010, has fallen out of favour at Ewood Park in recent months and is in talks with West Ham United.