Newcastle’s summer transfer plans have been given a significant boost, after Fabrizio Romano confirmed the club’s first deal in the transfer window this week.
Eddie Howe’s side will be hoping to secure Champions League football for next season, before ending a successful season with a long-awaited transfer budget in the summer.
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With at least one extra Champions League spot, Newcastle are where they should be for qualification for Europe’s most prestigious tournament.
Newcastle brought in just four new players last year, all mainly reserve options, including Lloyd Kelly who arrived on a free transfer from Bournemouth.
However, Kelly only got four Premier League games from the start in the autumn before he was loaned out to Juventus in January – a loan deal with a commitment to a permanent transfer.
There has been speculation that Juventus could avoid making the transfer permanent if they did not qualify for European Cup play, with the Italian giants just one point away from dropping out of Serie A’s top-six.
The agreement is now confirmed
The conditions for a permanent transfer have been met, after Kelly has played 13 league games for Juventus. This gives Newcastle a quick profit on a transfer worth €17.5 million plus bonus schemes.
The sale frees up funds for the summer transfer window
Kelly failed to make his mark during his short spell at St James’ Park, and the 27-year-old has faced criticism for his performances at Juventus. This raised concerns that Newcastle could miss out on a significant amount of income.
However, with the Kelly saddle confirmed, Newcastle are now expected to be in a strong PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules) position ahead of the summer transfer window – as opposed to the situation 12 months ago.
Last summer, Newcastle were forced to sell young talents such as Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, while goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos was brought in solely for PSR reasons.
New hope for the summer transfer window
Thanks to the Kelly saddle, the Magpies can now be buyers in June, and they will be aiming to make up for a weak transfer window last year to build on a season they hope will end with Champions League qualification in the coming weeks.
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