Newcastle United are of the belief that they have secured Lloyd Kelly’s signature amid Tottenham’s competition for the free agent.
According to INews, Newcastle United appear like the favourites to sign Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer amid Tottenham’s interest in the defender. The Bournemouth man is a high-quality player available on the cheap in the market, and the Magpies are eager to bring financially viable defensive reinforcements in the summer.
Did Newcastle United win the Lloyd Kelly race?
According to the report, Newcastle United may have won the race to sign Lloyd Kelly ahead of Tottenham. Other Premier League sides had kept tabs on the Bournemouth defender, who had previously decided to leave the Cherries on a free transfer once the season concluded.
Newcastle United are angling a move for Kelly as well as Tosin Adarabioyo on free transfers, as there’s a belief they could bring the former very soon. Tottenham also had an interest in Kelly, as Ange Postecoglou liked his profile and the positions he can play on the left hand side of the defence.
Eddie Howe has been driving the chase for Kelly for a few months now, and it does appear that he may have got his man ahead of the summer. There have been reports that the 25-year-old Tottenham target may have already agreed to terms in the background, although nothing has been made official just yet.
Kelly played 23 Premier League games for Bournemouth this season, ending the campaign with a club-record total of points. He did endure a few weeks out injured on two separate occasions, but he ended up finishing the campaign rather strongly.
Newcastle United’s big summer plans
As Newcastle finished their campaign, they endured two critical defensive injuries to Sven Botman and Jamal Lascelles, with the pair now set to stay sidelined for many months. With the Magpies not operating on a huge budget, signing players like Kelly and Adarabioyo on the cheap would make perfect sense for them to focus their efforts on other positions.
They are also keen on a new striker, and should some of their current midfielders depart, the Magpies might also focus on bringing replacements. Overall, Howe is set for a busy summer ahead as Newcastle United looks to strengthen its squad to get back into the top four next season.
