Jamaal Lascelles has joined Leicester City from Newcastle United.placeholder image
Jamaal Lascelles has joined Leicester City from Newcastle United. | Getty Images
Newcastle United latest news: The Magpies have confirmed that club captain Jamaal Lascelles has left St James’ Park to join Championship side Leicester City.
Lascelles has joined Championship side Leicester City on a permanent basis, with his move to the King Power Stadium being confirmed after the winter transfer deadline had passed. Lascelles had been linked with a move away from St James’ Park throughout the winter window, with Turkish club Besiktas and Premier League side West Ham among others reportedly courting his signature.
However, it will be in England’s second-tier where Lascelles will play his football from now on after his move to the Foxes was confirmed on transfer deadline day. Lascelles, who has played just two competitive games for Newcastle United this season with his last appearance coming back in September, has bolstered a Leicester squad who will be aiming for an unlikely tilt at the play-offs in the second half of the season.
Lascelles made over 250 appearances for Newcastle United during his time at the club, with the vast majority of those coming as the club’s captain. Although his last couple of seasons on Tyneside were plagued by injury issues as he fell down the pecking order under Eddie Howe, Lascelles still had a big influence behind the scenes and was called upon by Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier to lift the Carabao Cup trophy at Wembley back in March.
Newcastle United confirm Jamaal Lascelles departure
Having played such a key role both on and off the pitch during his time at Newcastle United, the club confirmed Lascelles’ departure with a classy statement, describing his time at the club as an ‘outstanding decade’. That statement read: ‘Defender Jamaal Lascelles has completed a permanent switch to Leicester City, bringing an end to an outstanding decade at St. James' Park.
‘The 32-year-old centre-back departs as one of the great leaders of the club's recent history, captaining the Magpies from the Championship to the Champions League during his 253 appearances. Jamaal initially signed from Nottingham Forest in summer 2014 alongside goalkeeper Karl Darlow, but immediately returned to the City Ground on loan for the following season.
‘He began life at St. James' Park as a young defender on the periphery of the team but forced his way into regular selection during the second half of the 2015/16 campaign. Despite relegation, the defender's performances and leadership qualities made a big impression and Jamaal was appointed captain by then manager Rafa Benítez.
‘He led United to the 2016/17 Championship title and helped secure the club's top-flight status as he established himself as a Premier League regular in the years that followed. Jamaal also played a key part in the club's recent success, notably captaining the side for the historic 4-1 Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain in October 2023.
‘Injury ruled him out of action last season but he retained a valuable role within the first-team leadership group, underlined as he lifted the Carabao Cup trophy alongside Bruno Guimarães and Kieran Trippier at Wembley. Everybody at Newcastle United wishes Jamaal the very best of luck for the future and thanks him for his outstanding contribution to the club. He will always be welcome at St. James' Park.’
Jamaal Lascelles reacts to Leicester City transfer
Speaking about joining Leicester City, Lascelles said: “I’m just buzzing to get through the door,” he said. “It’s a great set-up here, a huge Club, the facilities are fantastic. I just can’t wait to help out as much as I can, try and push up the league, and meet all the boys tomorrow (Tuesday).
“I’m definitely going to add high standards, professionalism… for me, they’re non-negotiable. It’s the one per cents every day, dragging myself and other people on board and just keeping high standards.
“If you do that in and around the building, on the training pitch, it’ll carry onto the games.
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“It’s quite a young squad, so I feel like, with me being 32, I’ve been in similar positions before in my career, in the Championship, so there’s not much I haven’t seen. I’m just hoping to bring my experience and add to everybody here.
“There’s some great talent. I’ve been keeping my eye on Leicester for a while. There’s some fantastic talent in the team.
“There are some young players that might need a bit of guidance, might need an arm around the shoulder, might need a firm hand.
“That sort of stuff goes a long way in football, having leadership, and that sort of stuff behind the scenes can carry onto the pitch.”
He added: “I’ll give my all. I’ll run through a brick wall for the Club in every single game, every single session. I’m quite athletic and quite commanding in the box.
“I enjoy defending, I enjoy winning my duels, and I try and pride myself on keeping clean sheets and doing my job. I try and get the best out of other people as well.
“It’s important I do my job, but if I can help other people and encourage them, sort of take on other peoples’ stresses, I just want to help out as much as I can.
“It’s very exciting [to join Leicester]. I’ve been at Newcastle for a long time, since I was 21. It’s not often that players stay at clubs for that long. I had some great memories there.
“I’ve seen the ups, the downs. It’s a great set-up there, but I’m here and it’s a new chapter. I can’t wait to get started. Like I said, I want to win games, I want to get back to playing football and enjoying playing games, helping out as much as I can.”
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