Newcastle United could have the opportunity to sign James McCarthy from Crystal Palace on a free transfer in the summer, according to TEAMtalk.
As per the news outlet, the future of the central midfield player is unclear at Selhurst Park as they are unsure over who their manager will be come the start of the 2021/22 term, with Roy Hodgson out of contract as well as McCarthy.
Celtic and Burnley are also keen on the Republic of Ireland international, but the Magpies are looking closely at him and have done for a number of years.
McCarthy would be a smart buy for Newcastle
McCarthy would certainly be a smart addition for the St. James' Park faithful, especially if they do not have to pay a transfer fee.
The 30-year-old, who is currently earning £50,000-per-week, is vastly experienced in the Premier League, with no fewer than 269 games played in total over all competitions across the last 12 consecutive seasons for Wigan Athletic and Everton as well as CPFC (Transfermarkt).
He has also won an FA Cup, with that famous 1-0 victory for the Latics against Manchester City back in 2013, highlighting his strong winning mentality, which could be a useful asset to have in the dressing room.
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Nonetheless, signing McCarthy could be a smart piece of business from the North East club.