Newcastle United’s summer transfer business is underway, with Eddie Howe set to be reunited with Lloyd Kelly.
The Magpies announced last week that the 25-year-old would be joining on a free transfer, with Lloyd Kelly officially set to become a Newcastle United player on July 1st.
It is a great bit of business by Newcastle, who have added a bit more depth to their defence without severely denting their transfer budget. That should allow for more money to be spent elsewhere, with Eddie Howe eyeing four more signings, one of which looks likely to be backup goalkeeper James Trafford.
In Kelly, Howe is getting a player he trusts. They worked together at Bournemouth, and Howe has already praised Kelly for how his leadership qualities and how versatile he is. Those attributes should make him a valuable asset to Newcastle United.
What Newcastle United expect from Lloyd Kelly
But the club are actually expecting Kelly to become even more valuable to them once Howe works his magic.
According to the Athletic, people inside Newcastle are confident that Howe will make Kelly an even better player than he already is.
They report that the defender’s potential was a big reason why the Magpies pursued a deal, believing that Howe and his coaching staff have what it takes to extract even more out of a player who became Bournemouth captain at the age of 22.
The Athletic add that signing Kelly was viewed as a ‘no-brainer’ by people inside Newcastle United, especially because he was available on a free transfer.
More to come from Newcastle’s latest signing Kelly
Given the fact that it is a free transfer, there is not a lot of risk surrounding the deal. That should take a bit of pressure off of Kelly’s shoulders, as he prepares for the biggest move of his career.
But it is a move that could be massively beneficial, with Howe having visions of taking Kelly to an even greater level.
He has been solid in the Premier League for Bournemouth, but this is a level above. Kelly joins a Newcastle United team that will be aiming to get back in the Champions League, and he will need to prove that he can perform at the standard required.
The club obviously believe he can do just that, while the hope is that he continues to grow as a player under the guidance of Howe.
Eddie Howe makes players better at Newcastle
That should happen, as Howe has made a habit of improving players since becoming Newcastle United manager. You would struggle to find any player who has not at least got a little bit better.
The biggest improvement has came from Joelinton, who went from struggling forward to midfield general. More pertinently for Kelly, Howe has taken Fabian Schar’s game to incredible heights, while Lewis Hall showed fantastic signs of development at the end of the 2023/24 season.
If you want to become a better player, you work with Eddie Howe. Kelly knows all about that, and now has a second chance to learn from him.
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