Newcastle United
Premier League • England
Newcastle transfer news: PiF give green light for quartet to leave as busy January looms on Tyneside
Newcastle United will reportedly listen to offers for four senior stars in the January transfer window as Eddie Howe continues the transformation of his squad.
Saudi owners PiF have given the green light for Toon boss Eddie Howe to part ways with the quartet, if the right offers come in for the players.
Club captain Jamaal Lascelles, wingers Ryan Fraser and Matt Ritchie, and left-back Jamal Lewis are in the quartet in question, having been deemed surplus to requirements at St James’ Park.
Lascelles, Fraser, Ritchie and Lewis have all slipped down the pecking order under Howe this season, struggling for game time in the process.
Of the four, Fraser has been most regularly used, having been handed three Premier League starts in eight appearances in total.
Lascelles has started just one league match, while Ritchie and Lewis have only one sub appearance apiece in the competition.
Howe is currently looking to reshape his squad and is gearing the club up for Champions League football in the long term, as reported by Football Insider.
To that end, a gradual break-up of the squad assembled by Mike Ashley has begun.
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Lascelles and Ritchie both played a major role in Newcastle’s struggles over recent years. However, both players want regular first-team football, which is unlikely to happen at St James’ Park.
Lewis, meanwhile, has a contract until 2025 but has struggled to make an impression at Newcastle.
As for Fraser, the winger still has two-and-a-half years left on his deal and is expected to chased by a number of clubs, largely due to his versatility.
The Scotland international can play as a genuine wide man or as a wing-back, where has been utilised by Howe ever since the former Bournemouth boss took charge on Tyneside.
Newcastle are back in domestic action on December 21 when they host Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup.