According to The Mail, Newcastle United are ‘close to completing’ the signing of Matt Targett on a permanent deal.
The report states that the Aston Villa loanee looks set to arrive for £12m, with Eddie Howe keen to bring the left-back to St James’ Park on a full-time basis following talks yesterday.
Fulham are believed to have shown interest in the 26-year-old, while ‘other options’ were also considered by the recruitment team on Tyneside, however it looks like Targett will get his wish.
The Mail state that the player is not in Steven Gerrard’s plans at Villa following the arrival of Lucas Digne; a player we ironically bid for in January prior to securing Targett on loan.
Since then, the former Saints talent has comfortably outshone the Frenchman, barely putting a foot wrong defensively, slotting into the team seamlessly and playing a key role as we went from relegation contenders to finishing 11th on the final day of the 2021/22 season.
Atletico Madrid’s Renan Lodi has been heavily linked, but a move for the reliable Targett will come at a fraction of the price, allowing us to spend the remainder of our budget elsewhere.
