Newcastle United are reportedly ready to trigger Jonjo Shelvey’s contract extension that will see the midfielder sign for an extra year with the Magpies club.
According to the Mirror, Shelvey will be able to extend his contract with Newcastle if he features against Southampton this weekend, which will grant the midfielder the option to trigger an extension in his deal which could see the former Swansea City star pocket £3m-a-year.
The 30-year-old maestro has only made two appearances for Newcastle this season with a hamstring injury keeping the Romford-born midfielder out of action for the majority of the campaign, with Shelvey only now just making his return from the treatment table.
The former Liverpool star has come off the bench in Newcastle’s last two Premier League fixtures, and if Shelvey is to feature again for the Toon, the midfielder is entitled to extend his contract by an extra year following a clause that was made when the playmaker last signed a new deal with the club.
As per the Mirror, this will see Shelvey extend his stay at Newcastle and likely see the six-time England international earn as much as £3m-a-year despite his role as a bit-part player in Eddie Howe’s new-look squad. With Joe Willock, Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes all performing well for the Magpies in the midfield.
However, that’s not to say that Shelvey doesn’t have a part to play for the remainder of the season. The midfielder is believed to be well-respected amongst those within the club, and the 30-year-old’s traits are different to those who currently start for Newcastle, with former player Mikel Merino labelling the maestro as ‘very aggressive.
Shelvey signing Newcastle contract extension is a good move for club
Shelvey might not be the first name on the teamsheet anymore, but there’s no denying that keeping big characters and personalities around is a good move for a club in transition to reach a new level, and the midfielder signing a contract extension with Newcastle will be a smart move.
After all, Shelvey has been with the club for some years and has seen many ups and downs with the Toon. And keeping some within the team grounded will be key if Howe is to take the northeast side to a European finish this season.
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