Newcastle United are reportedly leading the race to sign out-of-contract Bournemouth star Lloyd Kelly
Transfer expert Ben Jacobs has stated that Newcastle are making a strong push to acquire Kelly, who played under Eddie Howe at Bournemouth four years ago during Howe’s last season managing the Vitality Stadium team.
Jacobs told GiveMeSport: “With Lloyd Kelly, Newcastle have always had a clear indication that he’s open to the move. Now that he’s a free agent, Newcastle are very optimistic and pushing hard, making this deal likely to happen.” Kelly has made 141 appearances for Bournemouth over four seasons and has been praised for his consistency and leadership, which helped the club earn promotion from the Championship during the 2021/22 season, where Kelly was named in the division’s Team of the Season. The defender has played 54 Premier League matches since the promotion, contributing to the team’s survival each season.
Predominantly a central defender, Kelly has also shown his versatility by playing left-back 12 times this season, providing cover for players like Dan Burn, Matt Targett, and Lewis Hall. His strong form has attracted interest from Liverpool, AC Milan, and Tottenham, but his close relationship with Howe seems to give Newcastle a critical advantage.
Fabrizio Romano told the Debrief podcast, “Newcastle want Tosin (Adarabioyo) and Lloyd Kelly, and I expect Lloyd Kelly to 100% be a Newcastle player in the summer transfer window.”
Romano also noted that Newcastle remain favorites to sign another free agent, Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo, despite Chelsea’s interest. Like Kelly, Adarabioyo is a central defender and was named in the 2021/22 Championship Team of the Season. Newcastle admire Adarabioyo after his impressive performances for Fulham but will likely face strong competition from Chelsea, especially with the expected arrival of Leicester boss Enzo Maresca.
