Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has marked his former AFC Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as a prime target in the Toon’s summer transfer plans, according to Dean Jones.
St James’ Park chiefs are beginning to establish a shortlist of potential targets ahead of the next window opening. The Magpies are keen to have plans in place to attack the market, as their recent Premier League resurgence has offered fresh hope of signing their main goals.
Howe has overseen a nine-game unbeaten run with six wins since Manchester City won on Tyneside on December 19. Only Liverpool (22) have also taken more points than Newcastle (20) in 2022, to lift the Magpies up to 14th with a 10-point gap to the relegation positions.
Centre-halves remain high on the shopping list at St James’ despite their run of results with January arrival Dan Burn. United have shipped just five goals over their eight league games in 2022 so far. They have also only conceded three over £13m enforcer Burn’s five outings.
Newcastle mark Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as prime summer target
Nonetheless, Newcastle and Howe have already marked Bournemouth defender Kelly as a prime summer transfer target. The 23-year-old is a key part of Scott Parker’s plans at Dean Court with 27 Championship outings this season. He has also often captained the Cherries.
Howe signed Kelly from Bristol City for £13m during his time in charge on the south coast. He instantly praised him as ‘athletic, versatile [and] physically excellent’, via BBC Sport. He also dubbed the ex-England U21 star ‘outstanding’ after a year, via the Bournemouth Echo.
A summer search for centre-halves could see Howe and Kelly reunite at Newcastle with a transfer from Bournemouth, then. The Bristol-born talent will have two-years remaining on his Cherries contract at the end of the season, having yet extended his £21k-a-week terms.
Bournemouth’s promotion hopes likely denied Howe a reunion with Kelly at Newcastle this January. 90min cited the defender among the Magpies boss’ main mid-season targets back in November. So, he will hope Parker possibly leading his former side back up is not costly.
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