Aston Villa are ‘close’ to selling Matt Targett to Premier League rivals, Newcastle United, according to a report.
The Daily Mail claim that the new Saudi-led ownership at Newcastle are set to seal a £12 million deal for the left-back.
Targett spent the second half of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign on loan at St James’ Park.
The arrival of Lucas Digne from Everton during the January transfer window meant that Targett lost his number one spot at Villa Park.
And three years after the Midlands side paid Southampton £11 million for the Englishman (Sky Sports), he is now set to depart with the club making a small profit.
Targett served Villa well during his 89 appearances for the club, scoring three goals and supplying five assists.
But Steven Gerrard prefers his fullbacks to be attack-minded, and with Digne already supplying four assists from his 16 games at Villa, it proves what direction they want to go.
VILLA SHOULD NOW PUSH FOR ANOTHER LB
When and if this Targett deal is signed, sealed and delivered, then it should open the door for Villa to sign another left-back.
There’s no doubt that Digne is the undisputed number one at the club, but he needs cover and someone to challenge him for his spot.
Rangers’ versatile defender, Calvin Bassey, is a name that has popped up in recent weeks.
Whilst ‘French revelation’ Quentin Merlin, who is a 21-year-old from Nantes, is another name being thrown about.
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