This summer, Newcastle United wants to let go of the defender.
Newcastle United defender Jamal Lewis will be absent from Northern Ireland’s friendly match against Romania on Friday evening. Despite being loaned to Championship side Watford, Lewis has been included in Michael O’Neill’s squad. Although he won’t participate in the initial friendly, there are expectations that the 26-year-old will be ready to play against Scotland at Hampden Park next Tuesday.
While teammate Ross McCausland is having treatment at Rangers, the left-back has returned to Watford for his own treatment.
O’Neill remarked, “Both Ross and Jamal have returned to their respective clubs for treatment. Hopefully, they will rejoin us when we arrive in Scotland for the second game.”
Newcastle is seeking to permanently offload Lewis this summer, having negotiated an option to buy clause when agreeing to the season-long loan with Watford last July.
During this season, Lewis has amassed 31 appearances for the Hornets, coming close to his total appearances for Newcastle since his £15 million transfer from Norwich City in 2020, which stands at 36 matches.
He started four of Eddie Howe’s opening six games in charge before picking up a hamstring injury in December 2021 against Liverpool. Then, an ongoing groin problem contributed to Lewis being left out of United’s 25-man Premier League squad for the second half of that season.