Newcastle ‘very keen’ on Chelsea midfielder with Jonjo Shelvey poised to join Nottm Forest | OneFootball

Newcastle United are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan, according to reports.

Eddie Howe is interested in signing a new midfielder but is wary of breaking financial fair play regulations.

The Magpies confirmed the signing of Anthony Gordon from Everton for £45million on Sunday, meaning any further additions are expected to be on loan.

Howe has been blessed with in-form midfielders all season and is not desperate to bolster that position, but it seems inevitable that Sean Longstaff will be eased out of the team.

Following the signing of Gordon, Newcastle have turned their attention to Loftus-Cheek, according to GiveMeSport.

The 27-year-old has played 20 matches across all competitions this term but has found starts hard to come by, and when he has been named in the starting XI, has often been used as a wing-back.

Naturally a central midfielder, Loftus-Cheek has barely had a run in the Chelsea team in his preferred position during his time at the club.

He has been with the Blues since 2004 and has spent time on loan with Crystal Palace and Fulham.

Now at 27 with a contract 18 months from expiring, Loftus-Cheek is at a very important stage of his career.

A loan move to Newcastle could do his career the world of good, although there is a danger that it would make no difference as he would just return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season to be a benchwarmer.

Chelsea are frequently looking to bring in new players and have now reopened talks with Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez, whose signing would do Loftus-Cheek no favours.

GiveMeSport journalist Dean Jones says Newcastle have turned their focus to seeing whether or not they can afford to sign a midfielder before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

The Geordies are ‘very keen’ on Loftus-Cheek but are ‘unsure’ if Chelsea will allow him to leave on loan.

Howe has been ‘very happy’ with Longstaff this season, however, and is also keeping a ‘keen eye’ on the Brazilian market, casting doubt over the potential signing of the England midfielder.

On Sunday, Fabrizio Romano claimed that Newcastle had a €20m bid for Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca turned down by the Brazilian outfit.

Franca – who has a €25m release clause – is certainly a different profile to Loftus-Cheek.

The Magpies could accelerate their interest in Loftus-Cheek, or pay the 18-year-old’s release clause, before Tuesday’s transfer deadline with Jonjo Shelvey set to join Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.

Called by Craig Hope of the Daily Mail and confirmed by Romano, Shelvey will pen a two-and-a-half-year contract with the City Ground club.

Hope has claimed that Sheffield United’s Sander Berge is on Newcastle’s radar as a loan option, with Fulham reportedly close to signing him for around £20m.