Leeds United will host Premier League rivals Newcastle United at Elland Road on Saturday evening.
Much of the talk at St James Park has revolved around the future of star striker Alexander Isak as he continues to push for a move to reigning Premier League champions Liverpool. Recent reports have suggested the Sweden international has reiterated his desire to end his three-year spell on Tyneside and is currently refusing to play or train alongside his Magpies team-mates after citing ‘broken promises’ as the key driver behind his actions.
A deal seems unlikely at this point in time as Newcastle continue in their attempts to add to their squad ahead of Monday’s 7pm transfer deadline and attempts to secure agreements for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brentford forward Yoane Wissa have continued to me with frustration. However, there was some transfer activity at St James Park on Wednesday as the Magpies confirmed defender Matt Targett had joined Championship club Middlesbrough on a season-long loan deal.
The defender joined Newcastle on an initial loan deal during the January 2022 transfer window before making a permanent switch to the North East during the following summer. After suffering with injury and illness, Targett slipped out of favour over the last two season and was linked with a move to Leeds earlier this year. However, no such move came to fruition and the former Southampton and Fulham left-back will now hope to make an impact during his time with Middlesbrough.
Ambition
Newcastle United have loaned Matt Targett to Middlesbrough.placeholder image
Newcastle United have loaned Matt Targett to Middlesbrough. | Stu Forster/Getty Images
After agreeing to the move, Targett told the Boro website: “I’m absolutely delighted to be here. The club has got off to a fantastic start in the Championship so I am really looking forward to joining and helping the team. I haven’t played much football recently so I am at an age where I want to play and when I found out Middlesbrough were interested, that was the club that I wanted to come to.
“The bonus is they have made a brilliant start in the Championship and I am looking forward to adding my experience and quality to the team. I think I can help a lot, I believe there is a mixture of experienced players and some younger players coming through so adding my experience to the team, hopefully I help a lot of players out. I had a phone call with the manager, he was very honest with me, the aim is to get this club back into the Premier League and I share the same ambition. I am coming here hoping I can be part of a very successful team that leads this club back to the Premier League.”
Targett could make his Boro debut when they host Sheffield United at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
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