Newcastle ready to bid for ‘outstanding’ star, club knows he loves Howe

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Eddie Howe is now ready to test Bournemouth’s resolve and step up his interest in signing Lloyd Kelly, who the Cherries are aware holds the Newcastle United boss in high regard.

That’s according to talkSPORT, who report Bournemouth know Kelly admires the Magpies manager from their time together on the south coast. Howe signed the centre-back whilst in charge at Dean Court in 2019 with a £13m deal from Bristol City on a five-year contract.

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Howe would walk away from Bournemouth at the end of the season, having failed to keep the club in the Premier League. An ankle injury in pre-season and a thigh complaint during November also kept Kelly to just eight games that term, but Howe remained full of praise.

“I think he’s got real potential to go right to the top,” Howe told the Daily Echo in March 2020 as Kelly returned from injury. “It has been a difficult start but sometimes in adversity, initially, a lot of strength can grow from that. I don’t think it will knock him long-term.”

Kelly bounced back from his nightmare run of injuries to play 41 games during the 2020/21 season in all competitions. The 23-year-old then took over the Cherries’ captaincy for the 2021/22 term, and would lead Scott Parker’s squad to promotion from the Championship.

Bournemouth want ‘mega’ offer to sell Lloyd Kelly amid Newcastle interest

Despite Bournemouth returning to the Premier League this summer, Howe is ready to test his former side’s resolve by stepping up his interest in taking Kelly to Newcastle with a bid. The Toon boss is keen to strengthen at centre-back and believes he would more than help.

Howe remains a huge believer in Kelly’s ability from the ‘outstanding’ player he left back in 2020. Bournemouth also know their skipper – who Dean Jones cites as one of the Magpies’ prime summer targets – admires Howe, but would demand a mega offer to sell him now.

Parker would be loath to see the captain of his ship jump overboard with the new Premier League season on the horizon. He fielded the former England U21 international in 41 of his side’s Championship fixtures last term, in which Kelly also only received five yellow cards.