Free agent agrees personal terms after being spotted at Newcastle United training ground & Everton

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Former Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett has agreed to join League One side Wigan Athletic on a short-term deal.

Dummett was released by Newcastle over the summer and previously held talks with Championship side Portsmouth but a deal failed to materialise. As a free agent, the 33-year-old can sign and play for any club that still has a place available in their respective squad.

And Wigan fit that bill after manager Shaun Maloney said this week that his side were looking at left-backs in the free-agent market.

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"The only position of concern we have is left-back," he said. "We know Luke Chambers is going to be out for a few months, and young Luke Robinson is only just back from seven months out with a knee injury.

"To be relying on Robbo as our only recognised left-back...so yeah, if there is anything out there in terms of what we could do now, it would definitely be in that position."

Dummett, who made over 200 appearances for The Magpies after graduating from the academy, was given permission to train at Newcastle’s training ground over the summer to work on his fitness. Other than loan spells at Gateshead and St Mirren, he has not played for any other club during his professional career but has made just 12 competitive first-team appearances over the last three years.

The defender has also attended Newcastle matches this season and was even spotted with supporters in the away end at Everton last month alongside current Magpies goalkeeper Mark Gillespie. But now it seems Dummett is ready to relace his boots and get back into professional football after a short hiatus.

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Meanwhile, other players released by Newcastle over the summer remain without clubs.

Loris Karius had been in Italy looking to sign for a Serie A side while also modelling but remains a free agent as things stand. Midfielder Jeff Hendrick is also without a club having spent the final two-and-a-half years of his contract at Newcastle on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, Reading and Queens Park Rangers.

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