Newcastle United green light first January transfer - 'incredible' player training alone amid interest
Newcastle United transfers: Jamaal Lascelles’ 11-year spell at St James’ Park could come to an end this month.
Eddie Howe has admitted Jamaal Lascelles could leave Newcastle United this month with the defender currently ruled out of first-team action and training.
The 32-year-old hasn’t started a Premier League match for The Magpies since picking up an ACL injury in March 2024 but has featured twice off the bench this season.
Newcastle’s recent defensive problems have placed Lascelles’ absence from the matchday squad into sharper focus. And Howe has suggested that the defender, who is still officially club captain, is not fit enough to be involved.
But Lascelles’ absence comes amid January transfer interest in the player as he heads into the final six months of his contract at St James’ Park. The former Nottingham Forest man, who joined Newcastle in 2014, is currently training away from the first-team, poised for a potential January move.
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Eddie Howe provides Jamaal Lascelles update
When asked about Lascelles’ fitness and the prospect of him leaving this month, Howe said: “He's not training with us currently. 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.”
Lascelles has been subject to interest from Turkey in previous transfer windows and will explore options to leave the club this summer. He has made 253 appearances for the club, the most of any player in the current squad, though he may have already made his final outing.
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After admitting Lascelles could leave the club, Howe remained tight-lipped regarding any further transfer activity this month, with no deals currently forthcoming.
“I think at the moment we're taking a watching brief,” Howe said on the transfer window. “We'll see how we go in the next few games. We've got so many games in a short period of time. That will, I'm sure, have a bearing on what we do.
“I think there's a lot that can happen, both ins and outs, depending on how we look as we go towards the end of January. There may well be players leaving that need to play or loans for their development, etcetera.”