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Newcastle United are reportedly looking to move on full-back Jamal Lewis in January, with manager Eddie Howe seemingly overseeing something of an exodus from St James’ Park in the New Year.
What’s the word?
According to Football Insider, the 24-year-old is one of four players whom the Magpies are open to offers for ahead of the transfer window re-opening, with Howe having deemed the Northern Ireland international ‘surplus to requirements’.
The piece suggests that PIF have given the sale of the former Norwich City man – as well as Jamaal Lascelles, Ryan Fraser and Matt Ritchie – ‘the green light’, should the northeast side receive suitable offers next month.
The Tynesiders only signed the Luton-born ace – whose existing deal is set to run until 2025 – back in the summer of 2020 for a reported fee of around £15m, albeit with the left-back having slipped way down the pecking order in recent times.
Finally ditch
It would seem that the time has come for Newcastle to finally ditch the £38k-per-week gem, with Lewis having simply been unable to force his way into Howe’s plans over the past year or so, making only six appearances in the Englishman’s tenure thus far.
That includes just two appearances so far this term for the 23-cap defender, with one of those outings coming against League Two outfit Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup back in August, having entered the fray as a second-half substitute.
Although the 5 foot 10 man was lauded as a “player of big potential” by his manager following that cup display, the fact that he was unable to even earn a start against lower-league opposition has illustrated just how far he has fallen of late, having now found himself firmly behind Matt Targett and Dan Burn in the pecking order.
With talk that another left-back addition could well be in the pipeline – amid speculation regarding Croatian international Borna Sosa – it would seemingly make sense for Lewis to be allowed to depart sooner rather than later, instead of continuing to be something of a wage burner for the club.
Initially dubbed a “very exciting prospect” by former boss Steve Bruce upon his arrival, it has been a “difficult” few years since then – according to Howe – with the former Carrow Road starlet having made just 34 appearances in all competitions in that time.
The writing had seemingly been on the wall when the £7m-rated man was left out of the club’s Premier League squad back in January, with that a clear indication of his standing in Howe’s eyes.
Having even struggled during the mid-season friendly clash with Al-Hilal earlier this week – after allowing ‘a number of Al-Hilal attacks to come down his side‘ according to Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin – it does look as if Lewis has no part left to play for Howe and co moving forward.
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