Newcastle United had the opportunity to sell Lloyd Kelly to Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce this week.
The Turkish club are in the market for a centre-back, and news broke on Tuesday that Fenerbahce had bid for Lloyd Kelly.
The offer came as a surprise, with Newcastle rejecting Fenerbahce’s Kelly approach.
They did not give in to Jose Mourinho’s demands, despite some Newcastle fans wanting to cash in on Kelly.
While that would help the Magpies’ PSR position, it would certainly weaken Eddie Howe’s squad.
How Newcastle United feel about selling Lloyd Kelly
And that is exactly why Newcastle United are not going to sell Lloyd Kelly during the January transfer window.
That is according to TBR Football’s chief correspondent Graeme Bailey, who has spoken to Geordie Boot Boys about Fenerbahce’s approach for Kelly.
“Mourinho wants Fenerbahce to bring a defender in,” he said.
“The main target is Diego Carlos at Aston Villa. That deal has not happened yet, so they have looked around elsewhere.
“They made an offer for Lloyd Kelly that was nowhere near enough. Newcastle are not going to sell anyway. Eddie Howe does not want to weaken his squad this month.
“There was a bit of interest. Fenerbahce liked him in the summer. I think they were just testing the water, but the answer is no, so I think they will move on to other targets pretty quickly.”
Newcastle are right to resist Lloyd Kelly offers
It is easy to understand why some fans would be happy for the club to sell Lloyd Kelly this month. He has not set the world alight since his move to St James’ Park, while his minutes have decreased in recent months.
Eddie Howe relied on Kelly a lot at the start of the season, but now he rarely features. His last Premier League start came in a 2-0 defeat to West Ham back in November.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce’s offer comes at a time when Newcastle United must sell before they buy due to PSR.
However, selling Kelly is a risk that is not worth taking for Eddie Howe.
It would severely weaken his squad, in a position that Newcastle United need cover.
Kelly actually covers two positions – left-back and centre-back. At left-back, he is the understudy to Lewis Hall. While some will argue that Matt Targett can fill that role, his fitness record means he cannot be relied upon.
Elsewhere, there will be a reluctance to weaken Newcastle’s centre-back options, as Sven Botman has only just returned to fitness after his ACL injury. While he has looked excellent since his comeback, the club will be keen not to overexpose him.
With that in mind, as Newcastle go in search of silverware and Champions League qualification, Eddie Howe is right to resist any offers for Kelly.
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