Newcastle United should consider making a move for Leeds United defender Pontus Jansson if Jamaal Lascelles leaves the club this summer.

What's the word?

It is hugely unlikely that the Magpies will allow Lascelles to leave the club without a fight, but interest in the centre-back cannot be ignored.

On Tuesday, it was reported by Sky Sports News that the North-East outfit have rejected an offer of an initial £20m, which would rise to £25m, from West Ham United.

The report claims that Newcastle have issued a warning, insisting that Lascelles is not for sale, but it seems that the Hammers are determined to land the defender.

If Rafael Benitez somehow ends up losing his captain, then he should look towards the Championship for an alternative.

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Who could Newcastle target?

Finding a player on the same level of Lascelles in less than a month will be difficult, but Leeds centre-back Jansson is a decent option.

The Sweden international, who played two games for his country at the World Cup in Russia, has been linked to Premier League clubs before.

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The 27-year-old has been a key figure in Leeds' defence over the past two seasons.

In the 2017-18 campaign, the Swede played in 42 Championship matches, and even contributed with three goals.

Jansson's discipline may not be as fine tuned as Lascelles's given that he picked up 13 yellow cards in the league, while his counterpart was booked five times in the top flight.

However, the Leeds man, who has won three Swedish league titles in his career, has the quality to impress in the top division.

Perhaps now is the time for Jansson to take that next step up, and if Newcastle find themselves without a centre-back, he should be on their radar.