It’s very likely that Newcastle United will be shopping for a new left-back in the summer with Kieran Tierney of Arsenal strongly linked with a move to Tyneside, but what does this mean for Matt Targett?
Eddie Howe got his man
All signs point to a very uncertain future for the former Aston Villa man despite this being just his first full season as a Newcastle player.
Targett impressed on his loan spell in the second half of the 2021/22 season, helping guide Newcastle to safety as part of Eddie Howe‘s revolution. So good were his performances that Bruno Guimaraes interrupted an interview with Matt Targett to demand that he’s signed permanently.
After weeks of speculation in the summer, it was confirmed that Newcastle had made the move permanent for £15m. This was much to the delight of Newcastle fans who’d been very vocal about his top class performances, even suggesting he should be due an England call up. Eddie Howe said he’d be a ‘fantastic‘ option on the left after he finally got his man.
This season, however, Targett has made just ten league appearances for the Magpies and of those, only three were full games. This is partly down to a couple of niggling injuries and illnesses, but also due to the fact that Dan Burn has been a revelation at left-back this term.
As good as Burn has been, left back is not his natural position, and there are those who think he’s hit his limit too. If Newcastle are to push on next season they will need better options in that position which is why Fabrizio Romano has identified that position as one the club will be looking to strengthen.
Fabrizio Romano thinks Newcastle will be looking for a new left back
Speaking on the House of Champions podcast, Romano said “For sure they will be in the market in the summer, for sure they will do something important. For example, I expect a new left-back to join the club, this is one of the priorities they will have in the summer and probably a new winger.”
Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney has been linked with a move to the Toon with the player potentially interested should things not change for him at the Emirates. The Scotland international has been hailed as ‘outstanding‘ by Arsenal legend, Kevin Campbell and would definitely be seen as a step up from what we have already.
With Newcastle eyeing up new left-backs then, does that spell the end for Targett? His injury record is a worry and Dan Burn has proved to be more than capable to play in that position. With that in mind, Targett could be collateral damage along with Jamal Lewis as Howe tidies up his squad.
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