Jamaal Lascelles observed as Newcastle United convincingly defeated Sunderland 3-0. Despite being the club captain, Lascelles entered the game as a late substitute during added time, along with Ritchie, Dummett, and Livramento, providing them a brief experience of the derby domination.
Nevertheless, on Sunday morning, reports surfaced in the media suggesting that Besiktas might be interested in acquiring Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles. This speculation arose due to Lascelles falling down the pecking order under manager Eddie Howe. Despite being the team captain, he no longer has a guaranteed starting spot, with Fabian Schar and Sven Botman often preferred as the first-choice center-back pairing.
Botman, who had been sidelined with a knee injury for three months, is now back in the squad. Lascelles had covered for him during his absence, but with the Dutchman’s return, it is expected that Lascelles will see a reduction in his playing time.
Having joined Newcastle United almost ten years ago in August 2014, Lascelles might part ways with the club in 2024 to secure regular playing time elsewhere. However, any potential move in the January transfer window is contingent on Eddie Howe bringing in another central defender.
Lascelles, turning 31 in November, is set to be out of contract at the end of June. Speculation suggests that there may be some movement before then, possibly a contract extension, even if it’s just for one year, to ensure Newcastle United receives a transfer fee if Lascelles departs in the summer.
Despite Botman’s injury providing Lascelles with more playing time than expected this season, the reunion of Botman and Schar suggests that Lascelles may only see significant game time due to injury in the remainder of the season.