Portsmouth ‘in talks’ to sign 171-game Newcastle United ace following summer swoop

Hayden hasn’t featured for Newcastle United since a 4-0 defeat against Manchester City on 19 December 2021 - over 1,100 days ago. Since then, he has had loan spells at Norwich City, Standard Liege and most recently at QPR with his time as a Newcastle United first-team player over.

Hayden was linked with a move away from Tyneside during the summer, but a departure never materialised and he remained at the club. Having not been registered in Newcastle United’s 25-man Premier League squad, the former Arsenal man has featured just once for the club this season, coming for the Under-18’s during their National League Cup win against Halifax Town in October.

Hayden was handed a call-up to the Jamaican national team by Steve McClaren but will be keen to move on and get regular first-team football under his belt as he aims to impress his national team manager. Reports from the Telegraph, however, reveal that Fratton Park could be his destination this month.

Championship strugglers Portsmouth currently sit 21st in the second-tier under John Mousinho having won just one of their last four matches. Ahead of their first return to the division in over a decade, Pompey recruited Matt Ritchie from Newcastle in summer after he left Tyneside as a free agent.

Much like the move for Ritchie, Hayden would add great experience to Pompey’s squad. The 29-year-old was a key component of Rafa Benitez’s Championship winning squad in 2016/17 and has over 100 Premier League appearances under his belt.