---
title: "Exclusive: Ex-Newcastle defender not fussed by Mario Lemina failure"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/exclusive-ex-newcastle-defender-not-fussed-by-mario-lemina-failure-transfers-rumour-southampton-conor-gallagher-jens-cajuste-e184/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Caleb Sage"
section: "Exclusive"
published: "2021-07-30T05:14:33Z"
modified: "2021-07-30T05:14:33Z"
---

# Exclusive: Ex-Newcastle defender not fussed by Mario Lemina failure

**Former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey has told [The Transfer Tavern](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/) that he would not have brought Mario Lemina to the club after the Magpies missed out on his signature.**

Lemina recently joined Nice from Southampton after spending last season out on loan at Fulham.

However, prior, he had been strongly linked with a move to Newcastle, with the [MailOnline](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9811901/Newcastle-talks-Southampton-4m-midfielder-Mario-Lemina.html) claiming club staff managed to convince owner Mike Ashley to revive talks for the player after he initially pulled out due to concerns surrounding age.

\[freshpress-poll id=”367963″\]

Considering that, it appears that Lemina was a midfielder manager Steve Bruce really wanted. Howey, though, does not think the Magpies boss should be losing too much sleep over it.

*“I didn’t think Lemina was a good buy if I’m being brutally* *honest,”* the ex-Newcastle centre-back said. *“No disrespect, but do you want to buy a player that’s not wanted by a club which you’re supposed to be a little bit better than?*

*“Listen, he’s very, very talented. But when you’re under the cosh and you need your players to dig in, and every single one of them, there is the accusation that he goes missing. I wouldn’t have brought him in.”*

You would now expect Newcastle to quickly move on as they continue to be linked with a host of other midfielders.

According to [The Athletic](https://theathletic.co.uk/2714997/2021/07/24/willock-gallagher-cajuste-choudhury-why-midfield-remains-newcastles-priority-in-transfer-window/), the Tyneside outfit have an interest in the likes of Jens Cajuste and Hamza Choudhury.