Newcastle United and Aston Villa ‘scout’ international defender, Rivals plot double Toon ‘raid’

The Aston Villa defender joined the club on transfer deadline day in January – and the club has a £15million option to make the move permanent.

Targett quickly settled into Eddie Howe’s starting XI, and the left-back has credited his team-mates – and the club’s “brilliant” fans – with helping him adjust to life in the North East.

Speaking in the matchday programme for Friday’s 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Targett said: “It’s been brilliant.

“I can’t thank the fans enough – they’ve been brilliant with me. They’ve always been supportive, and every time I scroll through Twitter after a game, they always praise me. They’ve been fantastic, and they make such a big difference when they’re on your side and support you.

“But, for me, you can’t get too carried away with that - there’s always next week, and it’s another tough game. You have to be consistent, and keep trying to improve.

“It’s been a really enjoyable one so far. I’ve settle in really nicely, and the lads have welcomed me, which has made everything easier for me.

“I’m happy with my performances so far. I think we were 19th or 18th when I joined, so we’ve come a long way, and we’ve moved up the league table, which is nice. So far, so good.”

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