Lawal Israel
According to reports, Jamaal Lascelles’ time at Newcastle United could be up this summer.
St James’ Park is gearing up for a summer of upheaval. There will be many new arrivals and departures, but it is uncertain who will leave the club.
We’ve been encouraged to expect evolution rather than revolution, yet a number of current Toon players have been linked with departures.
There are a few that are unsurprising. Ciaran Clark and Isaac Hayden were left out of the Premier League team, while Dwight Gayle hasn’t played much since Eddie Howe took over.
Newcastle would ‘listen to bids’ for Lascelles, according to the Sun, despite not appearing to be actively looking to sell him.
This season, the 28-year-old has slipped down the pecking order, especially since Dan Burn’s arrival. Burn and Fabian Schar have been Howe’s preferred pairing, with Lascelles on the bench. That’s hardly where you’d expect to see the club’s captain.
Despite not participating, Jamaal has been praised for his outstanding attitude following his exclusion.
“His attitude has been spot on,” Howe said in March.
“He’s obviously our captain and he’s led like a captain even in a difficult moment for him because he would want to play every game.
“I always think that’s a true test of a leader is in the difficult moments and I think Jamaal has been absolutely superb – he’s been positive in the changing room before the game, during training – I cannot speak highly enough of his reaction to that.”
