---
title: "Newcastle: Matt Targett’s Magpies future is ‘up in the air’"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-matt-targetts-future-uncertain-aston-villa/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Follow up"
published: "2022-03-21T18:15:46Z"
modified: "2022-03-21T18:15:46Z"
---

# Newcastle: Matt Targett’s Magpies future is ‘up in the air’

**‘It doesn’t seem likely’ that Matt Targett will be at Newcastle United next season, [transfer insider](https://twitter.com/DeanJonesSoccer) Dean Jones has told [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/87984157-newcastle-eddie-howe-signing-now-tipped-to-leave-st-james-park).**

### The lowdown

In January, the 26-year-old sealed a loan move from Aston Villa to St James’ Park until the end of the season. He was [one of five players](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/newcastle-united/transfers/verein/762) signed by Eddie Howe in January, along with Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes and Chris Wood.

[The Shields Gazette](https://www.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/newcastle-uniteds-matt-targett-buy-option-revealed-3600445) have reported that Newcastle will have the option to purchase the left-back in the summer for a fee of around £15m.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”389224″\]

### The latest

Jones has said that Targett’s future is uncertain, but as it stands, the journalist doesn’t think that it lies at St James’ Park.

He told [GiveMeSport](https://www.givemesport.com/87984157-newcastle-eddie-howe-signing-now-tipped-to-leave-st-james-park): “Matt Targett’s future is up in the air at the moment. There is a possibility that he will join Newcastle but, at the moment, it doesn’t seem likely.”

### The verdict

This is certainly a surprising revelation from Jones, as you would think that both parties would be keen on extending Targett’s stay on Tyneside.

It may well be best for the 26-year-old to leave Aston Villa permanently following their [£25m](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/12514196/lucas-digne-aston-villa-complete-signing-of-everton-left-back-in-deal-worth-up-to-25m) January signing of Lucas Digne, who also plays in his position, while [Howe has selected him](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/matt-targett/leistungsdaten/spieler/250478) every time he has been available in the Premier League.

In those seven games, he has averaged 2.9 clearances, 1.9 key passes (a team-high) and 1.9 tackles per match. Strikingly, his overall WhoScored rating of [6.98/10](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/23/Show/England-Newcastle-United) is the fourth-highest in the squad.

Indeed, Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher believes that Targett represents a [‘huge’](https://www.toonarmy.com/news/newcastle-united-matt-targett-praised-by-jamie-carragher-on-sky-sports-eddie-howe-premier-league) improvement on what has come before at Newcastle, so losing him would feel like a big setback for Howe and co.

**In other news, [this injured Newcastle duo are joining their team-mates in Dubai this week](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-news/wilson-injury-news-trippier-premier-league/)**