Newcastle United are about to let Lloyd Kelly join Juventus.
It was bound to be a shock to the system for Newcastle United fans who had only just watched him play a few hours before.
Lloyd Kelly’s Newcastle exit comes just six months after the 26-year-old signed a five-year deal with the Magpies. Toon boss Eddie Howe was surely expecting him to be a big part of his team for years to come.
Game time has been hard to come by for Kelly this season. His brief cameo in Newcastle’s 2-1 loss to Fulham on Saturday was only his 10th Premier League appearance and just his second since the end of November.
Geordie Boot Boys understands that Kelly is unhappy at Newcastle due to the lack of minutes he is getting – he is hopeful that the move to Juventus will give him the game time he wants so badly.
Kelly was not the first-choice centre-back even when he signed and was pushed further down the pecking order when Sven Botman returned to Newcastle’s squad from injury.
While Kelly’s sudden exit has come as a shock around the club, word of another possible exit has Newcastle fans going into meltdown.
Newcastle United fans react to Kieran Trippier exit rumours
Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier has been tipped to leave the club since the summer. Trippier handed in transfer requests to Howe in an attempt to force a move away from Tyneside. A move never materialised, however, and he is still an important part of Newcastle’s first-team squad, albeit with a different role in the squad.
Trippier is more of an impact sub at Newcastle having lost his place in the starting XI to Tino Livramento. On Saturday night it was reported that Galatasaray are not ruling out an approach for Trippier even though talks are yet to take place.
This came after initial reports earlier in the week that Galatasaray wanted Trippier before the transfer window closes.
Newcastle fans have now taken to social media platform X to react to the news.
“This would be a disaster. Still our best right back and should be starting every game. Either way, depleting an already weak squad is a massive gamble!! What is going on?!” said one fan. Another added: “I’d rather keep him. We have no real backup to Tino or Hall.”
This fan highlighted Newcastle’s lack of incoming transfers, they said: “Where’s the sense in letting Miggy, Kelly and possibly Tripps when all the noise about incomings is that there will be none? This surely is as counterproductive as anything you could possibly do with such a lack of squad depth and freshness, no incomings would be criminal.”
“We better have something lined up because this would be mental if not.” said this frustrated fan.
Another fan added: “Should’ve gone last January when we could get a decent fee for him. See no point in selling him now.”
Finally, this fan said: “Was thinking why nobody has come in for him watching him warm up with the other subs. He’s too good to be a bench player really so I’d understand him going because no doubt about it- he’s still some player.”
Newcastle United can afford to keep Kieran Trippier
While Newcastle have been hamstrung by PSR for the last three transfer windows, Trippier does not seem like a player the club should be desperate to sell.
Trippier has been a key player at Newcastle since he joined the club in January 2022. He was the first signing of the new era at the club and was a big reason why the Magpies played Champions League football for the first time in 20 years.
The 34-year-old’s contract runs out at the end of next season, but Newcastle still have time to get a decent fee for him in the summer.
Newcastle’s depth in defence is fine even if Kelly leaves, but Trippier departing would be a new concern for Newcastle who would only have Emil Krafth as backup to Livramento.
There is still hope amongst fans that Newcastle will invest with the money they are receiving for Kelly – the time is running out to get that done.
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