Jamaal Lascelles is certainly in an interesting position.
The Newcastle United captain has lost his place to Sven Botman and Fabian Schar all while the club continue to be linked with a move for a new defender.
Harry Maguire and Joachim Andersen are just two of the names touted for a move to the club this summer and any arrival would surely push the skipper further down the pecking order after only starting two Premier League games last season.
Already, the 29-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club.
Indeed, newly-promoted Luton have been touted as a potential landing spot going forward.
Still, despite the fact Kieran Trippier is now his on-field leader, Eddie Howe paid a tribute to Lascelles.
What Eddie Howe said about Jamaal Lascelles in America
Howe was conducting a press conference ahead of Newcastle’s game against Aston Villa during the early hours of Monday morning UK time and paid special mention to the former Nottingham Forest defender.
As Sky Sports’ Keith Downie reports, Lascelles was asked lots of questions on his future. Towards the end of the press conference, Howe reportedly took the microphone and paid tribute to the player in front of a room packed full of journalists.
When Lascelles was speaking, Howe interjected and said (via the club’s official Twitter page): “I just want to say with Jamaal in the room, he’s been an unbelievable captain for us.
“Captaincy for me doesn’t just exist on the pitch. It has to exist off the pitch – the two things are so intrinsically linked.
“So a lot of our success last year didn’t just come down to the team, it came down a group of players giving everything on and off the pitch.
“There was a group of people off the pitch who were absolutely magnificent and Jamaal was one of them.
“Now, Jamaal will want to play like every player does but it’s how you react when you’re not playing that is they key and I just want to pay tribute to what Jamaal did last year and we move forward together.”
What a classy touch
Football at the top level is ruthless.
As expectation levels rise at Newcastle following such a positive season last time out, there is invariably a constant need to improve.
As it stands, Lascelles does not look like a part of the plans going forward but that does not mean he doesn’t deserve respect.
He was a key part of the team who came up under Rafa Benitez and helped keep the club in the Premier League during some bleak years.
That cannot be forgotten and it says so much about Howe that he’s so keen to point that out.
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