'Medical today' Keith Downie says Newcastle about to sew up Eddie Howe's first summer signing

While technically Lewis Hall's transfer from Chelsea to Newcastle United is still yet to be completed it may still be counted as Eddie Howe's first summer signing.

However, that's a deal that's a year old so we're going with the next through the door as the official first signing and that looks to be, of course, Lloyd Kelly.

The Bournemouth defender is leaving The Cherries at the end of the month when his contract expires and he'll be coming straight to Newcastle to link up with Eddie Howe, the man who brought him to Bournemouth in 2019.

Kelly's move to Newcastle has been mooted for a while and yesterday saw reports that the deal was done, while today things are to move a step closer.

Kelly will sign a four or five or six-year contract depending how you look at it and who you listen to

When Fabrizio Romano reported that terms had been agreed yesterday he mentioned a four-year contract, but Sky Sports, via Keith Downie said just moments later that the deal would be five years with an option to extend by a further year.

That's what Downie has stuck with again this morning when announcing that Kelly's set for his Newcastle medical today.

"Lloyd Kelly will undergo his Newcastle medical today.

"NUFC reached agreement on a 5(+1) year contract with the free agent yesterday.

"Kelly set to become Eddie Howe’s first signing this summer with window officially opening on Friday."

The Bournemouth connection is weakening despite Kelly's arrival

The 25-year-old centre-back can also play at left-back which gives Howe some options for the upcoming season, especially with that left-back stop still up in the air, although after his performances at the back-end of last season, we'd be hoping to see Lewis Hall given the nod to start there next season.

Kelly will be the fourth former Bournemouth player at the club in recent years following Matt Ritchie, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser, although by the time the season gets underway he could be the only one left with Fraser set to join Southampton, Ritchie already leaving and Wilson's future uncertain.

While the transfer window opens on Friday, we're not expecting a formal announcement for Kelly until 1st July given that his Bournemouth contract expires on 30th June.