Championship boss gives coy response to transfer links with Newcastle United outcast

The future of long-serving Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden has been the subject of speculation after reports suggested a number of Championship clubs were keen on a move for the former Arsenal academy product.

Hayden joined the Magpies during the summer of 2016 and became a key part of Rafa Benitez’s Championship-winning side before helping the Spaniard establish the Magpies back in the Premier League over the following seasons. After continuing to feature under Benitez’s successor Steve Bruce, Hayden gradually slipped out of favour following Eddie Howe’s appointment in November 2021. The midfielder’s last appearance for the Magpies came in a 4-0 home defeat against Manchester City just over a month later and he has embarked on a number of loan moves away from Tyneside in recent seasons.

After spending time at Norwich City, Standard Liege and Queens Park Rangers, Hayden returned to Newcastle at the end of last season and was unable to secure another temporary move before the summer transfer window came to a close. The once-capped Jamaica international was not named in Howe’s 25-man Premier League squad and his only appearances so far this season have come for the Magpies Under-21s in National League Cup fixtures with non-league clubs FC Halifax Town and Boston United.

There could be a glimmer of hope for Hayden during the final three weeks of the January transfer window after The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath reported Portsmouth were ‘in talks’ over a deal for the midfielder - but Pompey boss John Mousinho gave little away when he was asked about a possible move for the former Arsenal midfielder.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Friday night’s FA Cup third round tie at League One leaders Wycombe Wanderers, the Pompey boss said: “We will see how that pans out so the squad we will take into the Wycombe game will be a very similar one to the one we took to the Sunderland game. If we do get anything done before the Wycombe game, it won’t be in time to be involved there. Sorry for the boring answer in the transfer window - but as far as I am concerned with those sort of ones (links with Hayden), I will respect the other club because they’re contracted to the other club and not comment on it.”

Despite Mousinho’s comments, reports on the South Coast have suggested Pompey’s interest in Hayden is genuine and The News have claimed the Magpies midfielder is ‘is poised to complete a Fratton Park loan switch for the remainder of the season’.