Newcastle United transfer news: Magpies have 'damaged relations' with Championship club as Toon flop finds new team

The Moroccan, who joined the Magpies under Rafa Benitez in 2016, left St James’s Park by mutual consent after just 10 competitive appearances – the last being in 2017.

Lazaar spent most of his time training and playing for the under-23s while also suffering disappointing loan spells at Benevento and Cosenza.

Many expected the 29-year-old to return to Italy following his release but according to Sportitaliatv journalist Gianluigi Longari, Lazaar has found a club in England.

That club is Watford. Longari understands Lazaar will sign an initial six-month deal until the end of the season with an option for another season at Vicarage Road.

He tweeted: "Confirmed. #Lazaar is going to train with #Watford for a few days and the next step will be a 6 months contract with an option for another season with #WFC #Hornets”.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s deadline day move for Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury collapsed due to tension between boardrooms, it has been claimed by Football Insider.

In order for Choudhury to be allowed to join the Magpies on loan, The Foxes needed to sign a replacement, which looked to be Watford’s Nathaniel Chalobah.

The Hornets wanted Matty Longstaff to come in and fill the void left by Chalobah but Newcastle were unwilling to let the 20-year-old go as a result of the “damaged relations” between the two clubs.

Longstaff was strongly linked with a move to the Championship club last summer but instead penned a new two-year contract at his boyhood club.

Here’s a round-up of the latest gossip doing the rounds across the Premier League: