Speaking to BBC Newcastle, Jamaal Lascelles has insisted that he is ‘happy’ at the club and has no intention of leaving – insisting that he will take absolutely no notice of speculation linking him with a move away this summer.
The skipper may have missed out on a place in England’s World Cup squad, however he sounds on typically good form today and seems fully focused on the new season ahead.
Here’s what he’s had to say to BBC’s Matthew Raisbeck when asked about recent speculation linking him with a move away – with West Ham having had a £25m bid rejected for him just last week:
“I’m happy here; I’m the captain, the fans love me, I love the fans, I’m playing week in, week out.
“That’s where I’m at right now, and my main focus is getting fit, doing the pre-season games and the Tottenham game. “
“Nothing changes (after reading the rumours linking him away). The speculation might not even be true. Since I was a kid, there’s always been teams interested, speculation, paper talk and stuff on Twitter, and things like that.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Jamaal Lascelles on the speculation about his future: “I’m happy here; I’m the captain, the fans love me, I love the fans, I’m playing week in, week out. That’s where I’m at right now, and my main focus is getting fit, doing the pre-season games and the Tottenham game. “ #NUFC
— Matthew Raisbeck (@raisbeck10) July 16, 2018
There’s always a fear that Ashley would cash in on our prize assets (as he did with Carroll and Cabaye) if a big offer arrived, but the club must realise his importance to NUFC – not just as a player but as a leader and top class professional who epitomises everything that we love about this Rafa Benitez team.
The skipper then commented on the squad’s pre-season trip to Ireland, admitting that the set up their is ‘ideal’ in comparison to the ‘nightmare’ trip to America that was arranged three years ago:
“For me, this is ideal. I don’t really like flying as it is, so I don’t want to do a long flight.
“Three years ago, we went to America and it was a nightmare. This is great – an hour flight, the weather’s quite good & it’s familiar.”
Great words as ever from Lascelles – a man who sounds anything but interested in a move away from Newcastle this summer. He knows it’s the best place for him right now and that’s both reassuring and refreshing to see from a young player in this day and age.
Let’s just hope Ashley isn’t stupid enough to accept any big bids that may come our way in the coming weeks. There’d be hell on if he did.
