· 27 August 2025, 13:30
Last week, a story broke by BBC Tees that Newcastle United and Middlesbrough had agreed a season-long loan for Matt Targett.
The wording of the BBC's piece suggested that the deal was done and the £15 million left-back had agreed the move, but then things went very quiet.
Today (Wednesday), Newcastle United finally confirmed the deal via their official website.
The 29-year-old former Aston Villa man will move to Middlesbrough on loan for the rest of the season.
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A permanent switch was never a realistic option for Matt Targett
Matt Targett's absence from the squads in Newcastle's first two games of the season after featuring regularly in pre-season certainly hinted that a move could have been in the offing.
Given his injury issues and high wages, a permanent switch always seemed unlikely, but now Targett has the opportunity to prove his fitness and get some regular game time for Rob Edwards' Boro.
Targett hasn't even hit 50 appearances for Newcastle despite being on the books since 2022, which is testament to his horrendous injury problems.
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If it wasn't for Targett's injuries, he'd be a regular feature in Eddie Howe's side
We've been very critical of Targett's time at the Toon, but it has always been about his lack of availability more than anything else.
If he can stay fit, we're sure he'll be a great addition to Boro's squad. He looked good in pre-season for Newcastle, and he should be very strong in the championship.
Best of luck to Targett, but let's also hope this can lead to a permanent switch so his injury woes can become someone else's problem.