Newcastle have now rejected a loan approach for ‘fantastic’ 27-year-old from PL rival – journalist

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As much as Newcastle United need to trim the wage bill for Financial Fair Play purposes they are clearly only ready to lose players that aren’t needed.

Having just signed Lewis Hall from Chelsea, Newcastle now have a trio of left-back options if you include Dan Burn who has played so many games in that position now he might as well be classed as a left-back.

However, just because the Magpies have recruited for that position doesn’t mean that we have a surplus of players for it as Fulham and now Nottingham Forest have discovered.

Matt Targett is wanted Fulham and Notts Forest

Posting on X this afternoon, journalist Craig Hope said: “Understand Fulham & Nottm Forest have asked about availability of Newcastle left-back Matt Targett on loan but those advances have been rejected #nufc“

Fulham approached Newcastle last week with a view to bringing Targett back to Craven Cottage for a second loan spell, and now Nottingham Forest have tried their luck too.

Forest did Newcastle a couple of favours last year taking Chris Wood and Jonjo Shelvey off their hands and were likely hoping that had bought them enough good will to try their luck for Targett.

The ‘fantastic‘ £15million signing from Aston Villa found himself thrust into the action for Newcastle on Sunday as Sven Botman hobbled off the pitch. Targett was put on the left and Burn was moved to left centre-back in place of Botman.

The last thing Newcastle need is to weaken their defence further

Despite Burn stealing Targett’s place in Eddie Howe‘s starting lineup last season, and now with Lewis Hall breathing down his neck too, there’s clearly still a place for Matt Targett at Newcastle.

With the defence looking so frail as it is, letting a defender go out on loan at this point would be madness. I could maybe see the logic in selling Targett and even Jamaal Lascelles as long as replacements were brought in during this window.

To be honest, at this point I’d rather we didn’t let either leave and brought someone else in anyway. I fear our defence just doesn’t have the depth, especially now that Botman is likely to have a spell on the sidelines.