Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has denied claims that his side are interested in Aston Villa playmaker Jacob Ramsey. The Magpies have been linked with the England Under-21 international this week as they look to bolster their midfield ranks ahead of the second-half of the season.
Howe’s side have endured a rollercoaster of an opening half to the season, being knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages and winning just nine of their 21 Premier League matches so far.
Injuries have played a key role in the Magpies’ campaign so far, with their list of absentees growing on a monthly basis. Newcastle were expected to bring in a few reinforcements this month to ensure that the squad has the necessary depth to push for the European places.
With Joelinton and Sandro Tonali ruled out for the remainder of the campaign and Bruno Guimaraes already being tipped to leave St James’ Park, Newcastle are scouring the market for midfield reinforcements. They were linked with Villa star Ramsey on Monday morning, with contact already said to have taken place to discuss the potential terms of a deal.
However, Howe has acted quickly to shut down the report with a blunt reply. Asked if there were any truth to the reports, the ex-Bournemouth boss simply replied: “Incorrect.”
The Magpies manager also shut down talks that Matt Targett could be allowed to leave the club to join Celtic on loan, saying: “Incorrect, way off. Matt’s injured. He’s still got some time to go on that. He’s a big part of what we’re doing.”
