Newcastle United keeping tabs on 29-year-old full-back from AS Roma to replace Kieran Trippier as contract talks stall
The end of the season is a lot closer than we'd all like to admit, and as things stand, Kieran Trippier still hasn't been offered a new contract at Newcastle United.
The 35-year-old's contract expires in the summer, and Trippier will be free to leave the club. However, there's still time for him to be offered an extension, which we feel is possible given how regularly he's been playing this season.
Tino Livramento's injury problems have meant that Eddie Howe has had to rely on the veteran full-back more than perhaps he'd have liked, but the former England defender has done extremely well with the massive workload.
However, one of Ross Wilson's goals is to reduce the average age of the Newcastle United squad and allowing Kieran Trippier to leave would go a long way towards doing that.
Newcastle are monitoring Zeki Celik's situation at AS Roma as contract talks stall
A report from Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via VoceGiallorossa) has claimed that Newcastle are monitoring the situation between AS Roma and Turkish right-back Zeki Celik.
The 29-year-old has been an almost ever-present player for Roma this season, and it's that kind of reliability Newcastle could certainly do with.
Whether Newcastle are able to hang on to Tino Livramento or not this summer, they will need another right-back who can be relied upon, given Tino's injury problems.
Zeki Celik is demanding £3.4m a year from AS Roma
Celik's wage demands are pricing Roma out of a new deal, but Fulham and Juventus are also keeping a close eye on the situation, so if Newcastle are looking to make a move in the summer, they will have competition.
Given Wilson's goal is to drop the average age of the squad, we're not sure how many, if any, summer targets will be above the age of 26, so we're not wholly convinced by this story.
With wage demands of €4 million (£3.4 million) a year, Zeki Celik isn't exactly a cheap option either, so we'd be surprised if anything comes of this one.
