Newcastle United had three players they absolutely needed to get rid of this summer, one of which has already left.
Ryan Fraser has joined Southampton on loan for the 2023/24 season, and now Newcastle are hoping that Jeff Hendrick and Isaac Hayden join him in leaving the club.
That is proving to be easier said than done. Hayden has seen a move to Luton Town collapse, and now it looks like he won’t be joining Sheffield Wednesday either.
However, there is more hope when it comes to Hendrick departing St James’ Park. He has also been linked with a loan move to Sheffield Wednesday, and it sounds like that deal is going in the right direction, unlike Hayden’s.
Jeff Hendrick now at Sheffield Wednesday
According to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Hendrick is at Sheffield Wednesday ahead of completing a move to the Owls.
He has wrote on Twitter: “Jeff Hendrick currently at Sheffield Wednesday ahead of potential move from Newcastle.”
No Toon tears as Newcastle exit looms for Hendrick
If he does sign for Sheff Wed on a season-long loan, that will be Hendrick pretty much officially done as a Newcastle United player.
That is because his contract expires next summer, so he would go on to become a free agent rather than return to St James’ Park.
In an ideal world, Hendrick would leave Newcastle permanently this summer, but that was always going to be a challenge due to the 31-year-old’s wages. The main thing is that he appears to be closing in on an exit, even if it is only a loan deal.
There will not be much fanfare when Hendrick does leave the club, but he will always be remembered as the player who scored the final goal of the Mike Ashley era. That came in October 2021 in a 2-1 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.
Since then, Hendrick has barely played for Newcastle. He has made just one appearance under Eddie Howe, and will no doubt be looking forward to a fresh start in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday.
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