Newcastle United will wish they had Matt Targett available following their recent injury blows.
It was confirmed that Tino Livramento is going to be absent for eight weeks, which is seen as a positive after initial fears that he had suffered an ACL injury.
On top of that, Lewis Hall is injured too. He missed Newcastle’s win over Forest, with Eddie Howe stating that the defender has a hamstring injury that is not short-term.
In terms of left-backs, Dan Burn is suddenly first choice. There is also Alex Murphy, who is yet to start a competitive game for the Magpies. While Howe has praised Murphy, it would be a big ask for him to suddenly start games.
One option Newcastle do not have is Matt Targett, who is out on loan at Middlesbrough.
Newcastle United are not recalling Matt Targett
Geordie Boot Boys broke the news that Targett was joining Middlesbrough, and he has enjoyed a strong start to life on Teesside.
While there are suddenly opportunities for him to play in the Premier League and Champions League for Newcastle, the defender is set to remain in the Championship.
According to the Athletic, Newcastle United are not expected to recall Targett from his loan spell at Middlesbrough.
There would not be much point, as the Magpies already have a full 25-man Premier League squad and a 21-man Champions League squad. Therefore, Targett would not be eligible to feature in either competition at this moment in time.
Bringing Targett back to Tyneside would be pointless, as he gets set to continue what is proving to be a very successful loan spell.
The 30-year-old has made six appearances for Boro, scoring one and assisting one. With him in the side, Middlesbrough are second in the Championship.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CoventryCoventry | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 7 | 20 | 19 |
| 2 |  MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| 3 |  LeicesterLeicester | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 16 |
Why Matt Targett will probably never play for Newcastle United again
While Newcastle could benefit from having Targett in their squad right now, the likelihood is that he will never play for the club again.
That is because his Newcastle United contract expires in 2026. He signed a four-year deal with the Magpies in the summer of 2022, arriving for £15million from Aston Villa after a very successful loan spell.
Since becoming a permanent Toon player, opportunities have been limited. That is why Targett joined Middlesbrough during the summer, and he will hope to do enough to earn a permanent move there.
It could even be a permanent move that results in him returning to the Premier League, with Rob Edwards’ side pushing for promotion.
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