Major Newcastle United contract twist as deal struck with ‘huge leader’ that Eddie Howe loves

Jamaal Lascelles has yet to feature for Newcastle United this season as he continues his recovery from an ACL injury. Having suffered the injury against West Ham at the end of March last year, it has been over a year since the defender has featured for the Magpies - and he faces a race against time to be fit this season.

“I don’t know whether we’ll see Jamaal before the end of the season,” Eddie Howe recently said. “I don’t really want to set a target on his time to return. He’s started very light training with the squad, but that would be light, not necessarily in competitive drills.

“He’s joined in the drills that have been non-competitive, and he’s looked really good. It’s small steps for him. We’re hoping he can definitely be joining in and competing in training before the end of the season, but whether that ties in with the team and whether he gets there in time in terms of competitive action, let’s wait and see.

“He’s a big player for us. He’s very popular, and he’s still a huge leader in the group. He’s got a big presence, and I’m delighted that he got to lift the cup with the other guys. He deserved that moment for the length of time he’s been here and the service he’s given the club.”

Jamaal Lascelles’ Newcastle United contract

Despite this injury, Lascelles remains a huge part of Howe’s squad and the leadership group within the club. Having been Newcastle United captain for the best part of a decade, the 31-year-old has qualities that will be very hard to replace - and that may have formed part of the reasoning for the club wanting to extend his stay.

The Athletic have revealed that Lascelles has signed an extension to his current contract at St James’ Park until the end of the 2025/26 season. Lascelles was initially thought to have been part of a small group of players, alongside Callum Wilson, whose deals were set to expire at the end of the season.

But this new extension means that the former Nottingham Forest man will remain on Tyneside for another year and, when back fit again, can act as real competition for Howe’s starting centre-back options. Before injury struck last season, Lascelles played a critical role in the first-team and was part of the starting XI that defeated PSG at St James’ Park in the Champions League and played in all four subsequent Champions League group stage games in the absence of the injured Sven Botman.

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Lascelles, as club captain, also lifted the Carabao Cup trophy at Wembley alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, one the latter would describe as an honour: “That the three of us did it together summed up this group and the ethos this manager has instilled in us,” Trippier said. “Jam was our captain when this club was in a very different place.

“People may think it was a gesture from myself and Bruno to get Jam up to lift the trophy with us, but I see it differently, for me, it was an honour that Jam let me lift the trophy with him.”

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