Reliable journalist delivers latest on two potential Newcastle defender transfers

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Published on:

30 Jan 2017, 4:47 am

By Alex Stevens

Newcastle are unlikely to allow two defenders to leave the club in the final two days of the January window, according to a reliable journalist.

Chronicle correspondent Lee Ryder took to Twitter on Monday morning to explain that the Championship club's offer of loaning Chancel Mbemba to Crystal Palace is "still on the table".

But Ryder reported on his personal Twitter account that if Mbemba were to exit by Tuesday night's 11pm deadline, then it would be "unlikely" that he would be followed through the departure door by fellow centre-back Grant Hanley.

#nufc 's offer of Mbemba on loan is still on the table to #cpfc which would make Grant Hanley's exit unlikely. Hanley linked with Wolves now
— Lee Ryder (@lee_ryder) January 30, 2017

Wolves were linked with a pursuit of Scotland international Hanley on Sunday, six months after his arrival from Blackburn.

It appears that Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez is prepared to sanction the exit of one senior defender in order to sign a new winger.

Sky Sports claim that the Magpies are in discussions with Palace over the possibility of swapping Mbemba for Andros Towsend, who quit St James' Park only last summer.

Mbemba is currently at the Africa Cup of Nations with DR Congo, but the 22-year-old has only featured on eight occasions this season, all of which were starts.

Similarly, Hanley has found it difficult to force his way past first-choice central defensive pairing Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark.

The former Blackburn player, 25, has made just 12 appearances, only one of which has been a start in the league.

In other Newcastle transfer news, the club have tabled a staggering club-record bid.

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Newcastle United

Crystal Palace

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Grant Hanley

Chancel Mbemba