Newcastle United loan uncertainty with players waiting for answers on St James's Park futures

Newcastle United's Austrian midfielder Valentino Lazaro (R) heads the ball next to Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on July 26, 2020.

Valentino Lazaro remains in the dark about his Newcastle United future, with talks about extended stays or a permanent move yet to commence.

Reports had suggested the Newcastle hierarchy would sit down with their three loan players – Lazaro, Nabil Bentaleb and Danny Rose – following the end of the 2019/20 Premier League campaign.

But the Gazette has learned those talks, for Lazaro at least, are yet to begin.

It is understood a clause to make Bentaleb’s deal permanent for a set fee has elapsed while Rose has stated he is keen to return to Tottenham Hotspur, despite their insistence on a sale.

"I am very happy to stay at Tottenham and see my last 10 or 11 months out, I would love to," said Rose on the Second Captains podcast.

"There is nothing I want more than to play one more time in front of the fans.

"My last game for Spurs was a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool and at the time I didn't know that was going to be or could be my last game for Spurs.

"I want nothing more than to play in front of the Tottenham fans one more time, just to cherish all the moments we have had over the years with them.

"They have always been good to me, I have possibly given them reasons in the past not to be so good to me, but they know when it was game time I gave everything for them.

"I will continue to do that as long as I am contracted to Tottenham.

"For me, I couldn't stress it enough, I would love nothing more than to be able to say goodbye to them and thank them for everything.”

Lazaro’s Inter future is just as uncertain.

It looks as though Antonio Conte – who was set to sell the Austrian international this summer – could leave the San Siro, with Max Allegri in line to take the reins. And while that opens the door slightly for Lazaro, he could still be shown the door following the big-money signing of Real Madrid and Morocco star Achraf Hakimi to play down the Inter right.

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