Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles could leave the club if he feels he’s not getting enough opportunities.
This is according to journalist Peter O’Rourke who spoke to This Is Futbol about the 29-year-old’s future on Tyneside.
The Magpies have had a very busy 2022 when it comes to transfers. They’ve brought in a number of new recruits, including in the centre-back position. In January they signed Dan Burn from Brighton & Hove Albion and this past summer they signed Dutch defender Sven Botman from LOSC Lille.
Additionally, Fabian Schar has had a career renaissance under Eddie Howe. The Swiss international has made 13 appearances this season, showing that the Toon boss has a lot of faith in him.
This has meant that Lascelles has gotten very little game time this season. He’s made 4 league appearances this season, only in one of those fixtures did he play a full match.
O’Rourke believes that if he’s not satisfied with the minutes he’s getting, he could look for a move away. Also, with the heavy financial backing Newcastle now have, they make look to strengthen defensively.
“He’s seemingly behind Sven Botman, Fabian Schar, and also Dan Burn probably for those centre-back options right now. And maybe if he feels he’s not getting enough opportunities, he might have to move on and I’m sure Newcastle, where they’re going might even be looking to strengthen defensively as well.”
TIF’s thoughts on O’Rourke’s comments
We believe that Lascelles could be someone that will leave Newcastle sooner rather than later. He’s certainly near the bottom of the pecking order when it comes to centre-backs.
Sven Botman, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn have all been immense for the Magpies under Eddie Howe. In fact the club has only conceded 11 goals this season, the joint best in the league alongside Arsenal.
So it’s clear that without Lascelles, Newcastle are doing just fine. Furthermore, with the wealth the club now possess, they will only continue to strengthen and improve season by season in the transfer market.
Therefore, a move for the current Toon skipper may be ideal for both parties. Lascelles could well get plenty of minutes at another club and Newcastle will want to improve their backline. The money they gain from a sale from the Englishman could help fund a new and better centre-back.