Report: Newcastle to battle Celtic for 34-year-old free agent who has one England cap

Free agents are the order of the day at Newcastle United at the moment with Financial Fair Play restrictions set to strongly dictate what the Magpies are able to spend this summer.

Moves for Lloyd Kelly and Tosin Adarabioyo who are set to become free agents after this season when their contracts expire at Bournemouth and Fulham respectively are reportedly fairly advanced and both look likely to join the Magpies this summer.

They will bring in the cover required as Newcastle lost both Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles to ACL injuries which will keep the pair out of action until the New Year.

Another area of the pitch Eddie Howe is going to need cover for this summer is goalkeeper with Loris Karius leaving when his contract cexpires and Martin Dubravka hotly tipped to leave too.

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Alex McCarthy is a wanted man this summer

The Daily Mail are reporting that Newcastle have their eye on one 'keeper who, like Kelly and Adarabioyo is set to become a free agent when this season concludes.

34-year-old Alex McCarthy of Southampton is wanted by Celtic, but the Mail also claim that Newcastle and Liverpool may make a move also.

McCarthy was at Reading for most of his early career but during that spell was loaned out to no less than eight different clubs before joining Queens Park Rangers on a permanent deal. He moved from there to Crystal Palace before joining Southampton where he's been for eight years.

Newcastle still want Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale

McCarthy has one England cap to his name playing 45 minutes in a friendly against the USA in 2018.

Southampton are battling for promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs and McCarthy played a huge part in their first-leg fixture against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

Should Newcastle make a move for McCarthy he would be the replacement for Karius rather than Dubravka with Newcastle still interested in Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale to come in and challenge Nick Pope for the first-choice spot.