A fresh update has emerged regarding the future of an "unbelievable" Newcastle United player, with a new contract not out of the question.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies are now running out of time to bring in new faces in the January transfer window, with deadline day arriving next Thursday. Nobody has come in yet this month, and supporters will no doubt be desperate to see that change in the coming days.
Newcastle have been linked with plenty of players, although Kalvin Phillips has now completed a loan switch to West Ham, having been seen as a strong contender to head to St James' Park for some time. Meanwhile, Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has also emerged as an alternative to the Englishman in the middle of the park.
Nottingham Forest ace Morgan Gibbs-White is another name who has been thrown into the mix, being seen as a possible replacement for Miguel Almiron if he moves on.
In terms of other potential outgoings, Callum Wilson is reportedly wanted by Chelsea in January, while Bayern Munich are believed to have ended their interest in Kieran Trippier.
Jamaal Lascelles' Newcastle future
According to a new report from Fotospor [via Sport Witness], Newcastle centre-back Jamaal Lascelles is "trying to force" Eddie Howe to give him a new deal at the club.
He is said to be "using" Besiktas' interest in him as a bargaining tool, hoping that he can end up extending his stay at St James' instead of moving elsewhere.
There is no doubt that Lascelles is no longer seen as a guaranteed starter for Newcastle, filling in when others are injured and not being the key man he used to be. Sven Botman and Fabian Schar have become the first-choice centre-back pairing, and the latter may even be replaced for an upgrade soon, considering he is now in his 30s.
That being said, keeping hold of Lascelles as a strong squad player could still make sense given the wealth of experience he possesses, not to mention his leadership skills. Howe has lauded him in that respect, saying back in the summer:
"He's been an unbelievable captain for us. Captaincy doesn't just exist on the pitch, it has to exist off the pitch. The two things are so intrinsically linked. A lot of our success last year wasn't just down to the team, it came down to a group of players giving everything on and off the pitch. There was a group off the pitch that were absolutely magnificent, and Jamaal was one of them. He will want to play but it's how you react that is the key. We move forward together."
Reporter reveals there's "strange" transfer noises coming from Newcastle
The Magpies are yet to make their first January move.
ByTom CunninghamJan 26, 2024
Lascelles is out of contract at Newcastle at the end of the season, so a big decision has to be made very soon in terms of whether they cash in on him this month, let him leave for free in the summer, or hand him a new deal. The latter arguably makes the most sense, with losing him now potentially leading to an immediate negative impact on Howe's squad depth.