The Newcastle United deadline day transfer u-turn that left Eddie Howe ‘devastated’

The 30-year-old midfielder – who has missed the majority of the season due to injury – received a warm send-off from the St James's Park crowd during the 2-1 Carabao Cup semi-final second leg win over Southampton. Shelvey even got involved in the post-match celebrations as The Magpies reached their first major final in 24 years before his move to Forest was confirmed.

Shelvey is close to a return to full-fitness following a calf injury and could make his Premier League debut for Forest this month.

And when reflecting on his first week at the club, Shelvey said: “It's a lot different to what I've been used to week in, week out but I'm really enjoying it to be honest.”

Shelvey went on to explain how he came to leave Newcastle, and how head coach Eddie Howe initially told him he couldn’t.

“I heard of Forest's interest and it was something that really took to my eye so I went in to see the manager at Newcastle and asked if they'd let me go,” he added via Football Daily. “I got a ‘no’ at first because he wanted to keep me around the training ground and things like that.

"But I needed a fresh start and a new challenge and I'm lucky I found a new club in Nottingham Forest who were willing to come in and take me.”

Shelvey hadn’t started a Premier League match for Newcastle in 2022-23 after picking up a serious hamstring injury against Benfica in pre-season and requiring surgery. His only start for the club came in the Carabao Cup and he was just two shy of triggering an automatic one-year extension.

But after Shelvey had agreed to join Forest, Howe couldn’t hide his disappointment at losing a key player in the dressing room. The midfielder had played over 200 times for Newcastle and had led the side out numerous times as captain in Jamaal Lascelles’ absence.

"He's been an incredible servant for the football club over many years,” Howe said last week. “In dark times as well for the club, he has always stood up and given his best for the club.

"I can't speak highly enough of him as a player and as a person, and we're devastated to lose him."

Shelvey’s new club Nottingham Forest have been one of the in-form sides in the Premier League since the turn of the year. After a tough start to the season, Steve Cooper’s side find themselves sitting 13th in the table on 24 points, six clear of the relegation zone with 17 games remaining.

And Shelvey believes his new club has what it takes to remain in the top flight following promotion last season.

“I've been around this game and this league long enough to know what it takes to stay up and what it takes to be relegated as well,” Shelvey, who was relegated with Newcastle in 2016, continued.

“I've seen enough in the dressing room and enough of Forest this season to know that they're more than good enough to stay in this league."