Leeds and Norwich will lock horns in a bid to sign West Brom hitman John Hartson when the loan transfer window opens on Thursday.Dennis Wise's troops prop up the Championship table and are currently five points from safety with a game in hand following their 2-1 defeat by the Canaries at the weekend. The Whites boss had recruited veteran striker Tore Andre Flo in a bid to boost his side's dismal tally of just 32 goals in 30 league games. But the former Chelsea beanpole faces up to eight weeks after suffering a fractured foot - and Wise wants out-of-favour Albion frontman Hartson to fill the Norwegian's boots. The 31-year-old Welshman is behind Kevin Phillips, Diomansy Kamara and Nathan Ellington in the Baggies' pecking order - and was not even on the bench for last week's wins over Plymouth and Hull. Albion chief Tony Mowbray admits he is prepared to let Hartson leave The Hawthorns on loan - and this has also alerted the Canaries. Norwich boss Peter Grant saw his 16th-placed side move six points clear of the dropzone following the win over Leeds - but he is desperate to bolster his strikeforce after losing Robert Earnshaw's services. The pint-sized former Albion forward has bagged 18 goals this season - but could miss the rest of the season with a groin injury. Grant has Peter Thorne, Chris Brown, Lee Croft and Darren Huckerby in his forward pool - but feels Hartson's battling qualities would help Norwich ensure Championship survival this term.
