Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, you read that Jamaal Lascelles is still a target for Tottenham and Chelsea.
Considering how Lascelles has played since he was made Newcastle captain, it’s no surprise that some of the Premier League big boys want to sign the 24-year-old.
The Magpies resisted interest in the summer, with both West Ham and Everton keen on the central defender.
But with the future currently looking bleak for Newcastle, Spurs and Chelsea could take advantage of the situation and snatch Lascelles away from St James’ Park.
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Newcastle must keep Lascelles at all costs
No matter what position Newcastle are in in January, the cannot afford to sell their captain.
While money might be tight on Tyneside, we cannot use Lascelles to raise some funds. The centre-back is a talisman for the club, and losing him would hurt fans more than any other departure.
When he is out of the team, we look a totally different side. Lascelles hasn’t been at his best so far this season, but we’ve looked a whole lot worse when he hasn’t played. Just look at the second half against Arsenal for example.
If we are going to survive this season, we need leaders. In Lascelles, we have exactly that. Despite his tender years, Lascelles has developed into a proper captain over the past couple of seasons, learning on the job under Rafa Benitez’s tutelage.
However, a move to Tottenham or Chelsea might be an attractive option for the former Nottingham Forest man, especially with the club’s current situation.
It would not be the first time that Mike Ashley has sold a key player in January. In 2011, Andy Carroll went to Liverpool for £35 million, then in 2014 Yohan Cabaye joined PSG for £19 million.
Those departures both hurt Newcastle, but you could argue that losing Lascelles would hurt even more, and could end in the club dropping into the Championship.
