Newcastle United first January transfer imminent as fresh footage reveals medical for £4.5m ex-Liverpool man

Newcastle United defender Javier Manquillo is set to be the club's first exit of the January transfer window.

The Magpies are understood to have agreed a deal with La Liga side Celta Vigo, managed by Rafael Benitez. Benitez signed Manquillo for Newcastle back in 2017 with the right-back going on to make 110 appearances for the club, scoring once against Manchester United.

But the Spaniard is yet to feature for Eddie Howe's side this season and is understood to be frustrated by the lack of first-team opportunities over the past two years. The 29-year-old's contract at St James' Park ends at the end of the 2023-24 season and a new deal was not going to be offered.

Recent months have seen Manquillo out with a groin injury, according to Howe. But now the Spaniard has arrived in Vigo to undergo a medical.

@TQHTPodcast posted a video of Manquillo in Spain, along with the caption (translated from Spanish): "Javier Manquillo has just arrived at Headquarters to undergo the medical examination. The right-back (29 years old) is about to become Celta's second winter signing, from Newcastle."

Manquillo joined Newcastle from Atletico Madrid in 2017 for £4.5million but had prior Premier League experience while on loan at rivals Sunderland as well as Liverpool, making 22 and 19 appearances respectively. In addition to scoring at Man United, Manquillo's only other senior goal came for Sunderland in a 5-1 defeat at Chelsea.

Newcastle United are still yet to sign any players so far this month as the final full week of the transfer window approaches. The window closes on February 1 at 10pm.

The Magpies have been linked with a loan move for Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City since before the window opened but no progress has been made after almost three weeks. In terms of outgoings, Isaac Hayden is set to leave the club on loan once again after his spell at Standard Liege was cut short.