Premier League Newcastle United are set to launch a bid for former Bristol City defender Lloyd Kelly according to reports.
Football Insider claims Eddie Howe's Magpies have laid the groundwork for a deal for Bournemouth star this summer after several scouting missions to watch the player.
City will have a keen eye on Kelly's future. Not only is he a Bristol-born, homegrown player, but City inserted a sell-on clause – likely in the region of 10-20 per cent – in the deal they did with the Cherries in 2019 in addition to the reported £13million fee, plus add-ons, they received for the centre-half. Any revenue will be gratefully received at Ashton Gate after the financial woes incurred by the pandemic and a flawed transfer strategy.
Newcastle reportedly are sending scouts to every Bournemouth game as they firm up their plans for a player who has also been linked with a move to West Ham United in recent months.
The Magpies have soared towards safety in the Premier League after a huge cash injection from their Saudi Arabian ownership in the January transfer window, and they could spend heavily again in the summer in hope of making a splash in the top half of the table.
Kelly has made 31 Championship appearances for Scott Parker's side this team, captaining the Cherries 18 times. The 23-year-old has also played 19 times for England's youth sides in recent seasons, building an impressive CV as he closes in on a return to the Premier League.
He featured occasionally in Bournemouth's relegation season from the top flight in 2019/20, but he is set to be playing in the top division next season, be it with his current employers – who occupy second place in the Championship – or Newcastle United and other interested suitors.
Kelly is a product of City's academy, making 48 appearances for the club from 2017-19, and it was Howe who signed him for Bournemouth, with the offer of regular football convincing the player to move to the Vitality Stadium amid interest from Liverpool, who had planned to immediately send him out on loan.
Former Newcastle defender and ex-Bournemouth boss Jonathan Woodgate once described Kelly as a "Rolls Royce" player.
"I don’t see him being at Bournemouth long if he keeps on playing like that," he told the Bournemouth Echo.
"He was brilliant. He’s got some strings to his bow now. He can play very well at centre-half and he can play very well at left-back.
"As long as he keeps on doing that, he might not be at Bournemouth for long, because he’s a really good player. He just looks like a bit of a Rolls Royce, doesn’t he?"
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