Major EFL rule change means Newcastle United can get extra time to complete deadline day transfer
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Newcastle United transfer news: Jamaal Lascelles could be on his way out of St James’ Park before the winter transfer window deadline.
Newcastle United club captain Jamaal Lascelles is on the verge of ending his time as a Magpies player.
Lascelles joined the club back in 2014 from Nottingham Forest in a double deal that also saw Karl Darlow move to St James’ Park from the City Ground. The pair would then spend the 2014/15 season with Forest before becoming first-team options on Tyneside ahead of the 2015/16 season.
Lascelles was named the club’s new captain by Rafa Benitez a year later and will end his time at Newcastle United having made over 250 appearances in all competitions from the Championship to the Champions League. Lascelles has fallen down the pecking order at Newcastle United in recent months, having last featured in November during their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.
Lascelles’ 11-and-a-half-years as a Newcastle United player is expected to come to an end today with Championship side Leicester City proceeding with a move for the defender. The winter transfer window closes at 7pm - but an EFL rule change means that the Foxes and Magpies could have an extra two hours to complete that transfer tonight.
EFL transfer rule change - Newcastle United & Leicester City could benefit
For the first time, EFL clubs will be able to submit deal sheets on deadline day, granting them access to an additional two hours of time to complete a deal. A deal sheet must be submitted between 5pm and 7pm and have the signatures of the player in question or their representatives as well as the sign off from both the selling and buying clubs.
A deal sheet has been used by the Premier League for a number of years, but was not used by the EFL until this month’s window. Previously, clubs in the EFL had a hard deadline which meant that all documentation had to be signed before the deadline or else the transfer could not be completed.
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If Newcastle United and Leicester City do submit a deal sheet to give them extra time to complete Lascelles’ proposed move to the King Power Stadium, then they will have until 20:59:59 tonight to complete all the relevant paperwork and submit it to the FIFA Transfer Matching System, The FA, and the EFL (as appropriate).
Eddie Howe addresses Jamaal Lascelles’ Newcastle United future
Whilst it may only be completed in the final hours or even minutes of the winter window, Lascelles’ potential departure from Newcastle United will not come as a surprise to many. Speaking last month, Eddie Howe admitted that the 32-year-old could leave the club before the winter window concluded.
“He's not training with us currently,” Howe said when asked about Lascelles. “He hasn't felt well enough physically to train, good enough.
“I don't necessarily think that he's injured, but in the sense that he's got one big injury, I just think his body's not feeling great. So he's not training with us currently.
“We hope that will change in the next few weeks. But, yes, there's a possibility that he could leave as well. Jamaal's been an incredible servant. He's a great leader for us behind the scenes. So let's wait and see what happens on his future.”