Newcastle United are braced for fresh interest in captain Jamaal Lascelles in the January window with Tottenham and Chelsea both continuing to scout the centre-back, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper report that officials from both London clubs have run the rule over the 6ft 2in enforcer [Transfermarkt] in recent weeks.
The Chronicle claim that Newcastle are unlikely to even consider selling Lascelles in the January window, having rejected all advances for the 24-year-old over the summer.
OPINION
It is hardly surprising to hear that interest in Lascelles remains present among these top Premier League clubs, with the 24-year-old tipped for the top for a while now. Apart from his form over the past two seasons or so, another factor which attracts teams to Lascelles is the fact he would be counted as home grown in their squad list. Both Tottenham and Chelsea have been on the lookout for players who can help them fulfil those home grown quotas, and Lascelles is most certainly a player who can do that. As the report states, Newcastle are highly unlikely to even countenance any offers for their captain, with Lascelles remaining a key squad member under Rafa Benitez this season despite his form possibly not yet reaching the heights of last season. After such a poor start to the campaign, keeping players like Lascelles around will be key for the Magpies if they want to secure survival. Lascelles knows the club, he knows Benitez, and he knows what it takes to avoid relegation.