Newcastle’s summer budget receives early boost as £15m clause is activated – The Times

As revealed by The Times, Chris Wood has now completed a permanent move to Nottingham Forest.

Last month, it was revealed that an ‘obligation to buy’ had been inserted into his initial loan switch, with many reporting that he’d only need to make a few starts for the Reds to activate that clause.

A few weeks later, The Times’ Martin Hardy reports that a £15m sale has now been triggered as the Kiwi has now started three games for his new club.

It’s unclear how much Forest paid for the initial loan, but this feels like a superb piece of business from Newcastle, offering an early boost to our summer budget and allowing us to recoup a sizeable fee for the 31-year-old.

Howe admitted last month that it was a “good deal financially” for the club and you can see why now it’s taken just a few appearances to trigger a permanent move:

“It was a difficult decision, you have to take into account the player’s wishes but I think it’s a good deal financially for the club.

“He’s been a huge player for us. He’s been outstanding in every way. When we signed him we were in as very difficult position.

“He’s played a huge part on the pitch to help transform the team, and been excellent on and off the pitch with his leadership and positivity.”