NUFC duo sign new long-term contracts & Sky Sports claim striker 'could be next'
Some great news emerging on Friday lunchtime, with the club announcing that Isaac Hayden and Karl Darlow have signed new long-term deals at the club, the duo tied down until 2026 and 2025 respectively.
Both players will be crucial for the upcoming season, as Darlow is expected to start the campaign between the sticks with Martin Dubravka sidelined.
They may not be the last to commit either, with Sky Sports' Keith Downie revealing that Dwight Gayle - who is out of contract in 2021 - 'could be next' to sign following the double-deal:
Hayden is the big one for me, however. He's become a fans favourite for his unsung performances in the middle of the park and has cemented himself as a first-team starter since his arrival in 2016.
His contract extension shatters any doubt around his commitment to the club - with it being widely reported in the past that he has wished for a move back down South, citing personal reasons.
Here's what Hayden has had to say since putting pen to paper today:
"I'm delighted. It shows a lot of loyalty and commitment from both sides.
"It's great to have agreed this before the start of the season and we can focus on getting the football right and getting as high up the Premier League table as we can."
A whole host of first team player’s contracts are still set to expire at the end of the season (Carroll, Fernandez, Schar, Clark, Yedlin, Atsu and Murphy to name a few!), so it is a good sign that we are looking to act quickly to avoid another potential Matty Longstaff situation.
Another bit of brilliant news in what has been a fantastic week for Newcastle United so far.
Let's hope we can cap it all off with a win at West Ham tomorrow!
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