Ian Murtaugh, The Daily Star’s north-east writer, claims that several Newcastle players are closing in on new deals.
As well as Jonjo Shelvey, who is said to be the closest to putting pen to paper, Murtaugh claims the club plan announce new deals for Issac Hayden, Matt Ritchie and Fabian Schar by the turn of the year.
In addition, he also reports that contract offers for both Sean and Matty Longstaff are in the pipeline.
This is promising news, with there being a slight cause for concern at Newcastle right now regarding the number of unresolved contract situations which have been bubbling away for months.
Only 10 current first team players are currently contracted past next summer. Those 10 are Dubravka, Lascelles, Allan Saint Maximin, Joelinton, Almiron, Krafth, Lejeune, Dummett, Muto and Sean Longstaff. However it seems the hierarchy are getting on top of it and following Dubravka’s recent long term commitment, hopefully there will be more good news in the coming weeks.
Sean and Matty Longstaff will surely sign improved terms that will see them on financial parity with most other first team players after coming through from the academy, while Issac Hayden and Matt Ritchie were both widely though to be on their way in the summer, and are said to both be hugely influential in the dressing room. However it’s Fabian Schar who will surely be the biggest coup, with the Swiss international having become a firm favourite with Newcastle fans and arguably our best player.
One player I’m slightly disappointed to not see on the list is Federico Fernandez. The Argentinian’s current deal runs out this summer and he has been a brilliant signing. In pretty much any other era of my life following Newcastle, he’d have been THE man in defence. Such is the quality and strength in depth we have centre back at the moment, sometimes he struggles to even make the bench.
Hopefully we won’t let him walk away in the summer.
