Newcastle ‘very confident’ over Lloyd Kelly signing after rival medical booked
Newcastle United are “very confident” of agreeing a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly this week despite losing out on Tosin Adarabioyo to a late Chelsea hijack, sources have told Football Insider.
The north-east giants have submitted an offer for the 25-year-old, with further negotiations set to take place on Monday and over the course of the week.
Sources say the deal could be finalised as early as Friday, with the Bournemouth defender’s contract set to expire at the end of the month.
Adarabioyo, meanwhile, had been close to agreeing terms with Newcastle before Chelsea tabled what he saw as a more compelling offer and secured an agreement to sign him. The centre-back will now undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge in the next few days.
In the wake of missing out on another key target, Newcastle fans had made their frustrations clear to the club’s owners, as reported by Football Insider.
Newcastle United confident of landing Lloyd Kelly transfer
The blow of missing out on Adarabioyo comes after growing confidence that he would arrive at St James’ Park, with the priority now to wrap up the Kelly deal in case of any late twist.
Kelly joined Bournemouth from Bristol City in 2019 in a £13million deal before going on to play 141 games for the club, both in the Premier League and the Championship.
In the most recent season, he made 25 appearances, with 23 of those coming in the Premier League, although issues with injuries stifled his performances.
Kelly missed a total of 91 days and 17 games through injury in the 2023-24 season.
Capable of playing at both centre-back and left-back, his versatility and talent to play across the back line is seen as a valuable asset for the club.
The defender emerged as a priority signing for Newcastle due to his availability on a free while the club struggles with the threat of financial breaches.
Football Insider revealed on 23 May that the deal is progressing well and is at an advanced stage, with talks continuing towards a full agreement.
In other news, a new update has emerged on the future of Bruno Guimaraes.
For more Newcastle United and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.