Newcastle deny Aston Villa transfer talks as Leeds United claims made

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has insisted that no decision wil be made on Matt Targett's future until the conclusion of the campaign.

© Naomi Baker/Getty Images Targett is on loan at Newcastle from Villa

Targett is currently on loan at St James' Park from Aston Villa and it has been reported there is a £15 million agreement for the transfer to become a permanent one. Following Lucas Digne's £25m arrival from Everton in January Targett was benched by Villa boss Steven Gerrard and opted to seek regular first-team football at the Magpies.

Targett has been superb for Newcastle and has played every minute he has been available for Howe, missing only the game against Villa on February 13. Newcastle are up to ninth in the Premier League with Targett tasting victory in each of his side's last four games.

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It has been claimed that interest has emerged from Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United in Targett after his superb form for Newcastle. And Howe confirmed that a decision will be taken at the end of the season from Newcastle, though it is almost certain Targett will remain on Tyneside.

"No, no discussions with Villa on Matt at the moment," he said. "We're still in the season and we're being very respectful to Villa for lending us Matt, we'll make that decision at the end of the season."

Targett opted to leave Villa after he was taken out of the starting XI as soon as Digne arrived despite being a regular for the past two-and-a-half seasons. "It was a difficult decision because obviously last season I was pretty much the only left-back," Targett said.

"I knew the club wanted to sign a left-back and I was quite surprised when they signed someone like Lucas." "Obviously he was out there at the time, the club had to do what they had to do, but yeah it was quite hard to take, to sign someone of that calibre.

"But if that’s where the club wants to go then I completely respect that. "At the same time, I'm 26 – I don't want to be sitting on the bench.

"I want to look back at my career and have played as many Premier League games as possible so that’s probably one of the main reasons (why I left), yeah."

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