Jonjo Shelvey explains how one man pushed him out of Newcastle United - 'He said no'
Jonjo Shelvey has opened up on his painful exit from Newcastle United.
Jonjo Shelvey has revealed the painful story behind his Newcastle United exit.
The former England midfielder played 202 times for the Magpies between 2016 and 2023, registering 18 goals and 25 assists and establishing himself as a fan favourite. At the time of his departure, Newcastle were on the march to Champions League qualification and the EFL Cup final, and while Shelvey was struggling for minutes, he was well-liked by Eddie Howe, making his sale to Nottingham Forest a shock.
Jonjo Shelvey opens up on painful Newcastle exit
Shelvey has now revealed that he didn’t want to leave for Nottingham Forest, instead pushing for another year in Newcastle, where his family were happy and settled. However, according to the 33-year-old, it was then-sporting director Dan Ashworth who forced him out of the club.
“I went to see Eddie and said Nottingham Forest are offering me this,” Shelvey told the Under the Cosh podcast. “They’re offering me a two-and-a-half-year deal on the same money that I was on at Newcastle. He said I can’t give you those assurances that we can offer you the same.
“I said I don’t want what they’re offering me. I just want to stay, be in the building, stay in the area. My family are settled here. I just want another year, as I was coming towards the end of my contract.
“He said you’re going to have to see Dan Ashworth, I can’t make that call, it’s down to Dan Ashworth. “I went to see Dan Ashworth and he said no.”
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Jonjo Shelvey’s Newcastle United stats:
- Appearances: 202
- Minutes: 15,519
- Goals: 18
- Assists: 25
Where is Jonjo Shelvey now?
Shelvey’s move to Nottingham Forest didn’t pay dividends, playing just eight times in the backend of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign to the tune of 542 minutes. The former Liverpool and Swansea midfielder then departed English football, notching three goals and six assists in 33 games for Turkish side Rizespor in 2023/24, before playing six times for Eyupspor the following campaign.
Shelvey had a short-lived return to England last January as he joined Burnley on a free transfer, but clocked just 128 minutes across four appearances for the Clarets before his contract expired. The veteran midfielder now finds himself in the UAE second division with Arabian Falcons, scoring once in nine appearances so far.
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