Former Newcastle United flop aiming to win deal with Championship strugglers 10 months after Magpies release
A former Newcastle United midfielder is currently training with a Championship club.
Derby County could be set to turn to a former Newcastle United midfielder to boost their bid to remain in the Championship.
Despite the recent appointment of new manager John Eustace, The Rams are currently sat at the bottom of the Championship table and are now seven points from safety ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Eustace’s former club Blackburn Rovers. The Pride Park outfit will head into the game looking for their first league win since a 2-1 home triumph against West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day and to end a run of three consecutive league defeats.
Eustace was unable to add to his squad following his appointment just two weeks after the closure of the January transfer window - but is considering raiding the free transfer market after allowing a former Newcastle midfielder to train with his squad in recent days.
Just under a year has passed since former Republic of Ireland international Jeff Hendrick was released by the Magpies following an underwhelming four-year spell on Tyneside. Initially signed on a free transfer during Steve Bruce’s managerial reign, Hendrick made a promising debut by scoring an provided an assist in a 2-0 win at West Ham United on the opening day of the 2020/21 season.
However, Hendrick struggled to maintain those standards and spent the majority of Magpies career out on loan with temporary moves to Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers after Eddie Howe was named as Bruce’s successor in November 2021. His final Magpies appearance came as a substitute in in 4-0 home defeat against Manchester City just over a month after Howe’s arrival and he was released at the end of last season. After struggling to find a new club over the last ten months, Hendrick is now training with Derby and Rams boss Eustace has confirmed the midfielder could be handed a chance to secure a permanent return to the club where he made over 200 appearances between 2011 and 2016.
Eustace told the Derby Telegraph: ”We've got Jeff training with us at the moment which I think's a real plus for us. Obviously, Jeff knows the club inside out. He was here when I was playing as well and I know the kind of character he is. I think he'll help the dressing room from now to the end of the season. He's looked great. He's obviously a very fit, very athletic lad and he looks no different now from when I was playing with him.
"He's had a fantastic career, so I think his experience coming in to help the group will be key. He hasn't played any games at all for the last year. He's doing a small pre-season, but the season does not have that long to go. We want to get him involved as much as we can and hopefully, this time next week, he will be part of the group."
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