Newcastle eyeing FOUR free agents – Two ex-Mags, Sheffield Utd star & West Brom skipper – Report

The Chronicle have revealed FOUR soon-to-be free agents Newcastle are eyeing ahead of this summer’s transfer window.

With finances tight at the club following the COVID pandemic that’s seen us lose over £1m per matchday, Mark Douglas reports that we’ll be working under a ‘very limited budget’ – should Ashley remain in charge – when the trading season returns.

He reports that former Mag Andros Townsend is a player ‘of interest’, along with another ex-NUFC star in Jetro Willems – with the pair entering the final few months of their cir current deals at Crystal Palace and Frankfurt respectively.

The two others include Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram and West Brom centre-back Kyle Bartley – the Baggies skipper who hasn’t put pen to paper over a new deal as things stand.

Here’s a snippet from Douglas’ latest piece for The Chronicle:

Mike Ashley’s rule has always been that the club must cover its own outlay and that will be the case again this summer, with Newcastle now looking at ways to squeeze the most out of a very limited budget.

There are some decent free agents this close season, with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Jetro Willems still on the club’s radar despite a lack of minutes. His close friendship with Allan Saint-Maximin makes him an ideal signing – the pair dove tailed effectively in the 2019/20 season.

He is also wanted by Marseille, who made an offer to sign him in the January transfer window.

Of the Premier League potential free agents West Brom’s Kyle Bartley, John Lundstram of Sheffield United and Andros Townsend are of interest.

An uninspiring list, although I do believe Townsend and Willems could be useful squad players, with both impressing during short loan stints at St James’ Park.

As for Lundstram and Bartley, they feel like potential signings that would see us gear up for a season in the second tier!