‘Done deal’ - Newcastle United midfielder agrees exit after double transfer U-turn

Belgian club Standard Liege are reportedly set to sign Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden on a season-long loan deal.

The 28-year-old endured a difficult end to the English transfer window last week after moves to Premier League club Luton Town and Championship side Sheffield Wednesday fell through.

However, Hayden has been offered a lifeline in Belgium, whose transfer market doesn’t close until Wednesday. As per journalist Sacha Tavolieri, a loan move, which doesn’t include an option to buy, has been completed.

He posted on Twitter: “DONE DEAL It’s Isaac Hayden to #Standard Liege Signing Day! #NUFC midfielder will finally be loaned to #RSCL without an option to buy… Confirmed.

“Been told the Englishman already very committed to the contribution he can make to the team.”

The former Arsenal midfielder is surplus to requirements at St James’ Park having been frozen out of Eddie Howe’s first-team plans since the beginning of last season, which he spent on loan at Norwich City.

The Canaries had an obligation to buy Hayden if they achieved promotion back to the Premier League but fell considerably short by not even making the Championship play-offs.

Hayden was signed by Rafa Benitez in 2016 and in his first season helped Newcastle win the Championship title. In total, he has made 171 appearances for the club, though last featured in December 2021 after being left out of the 25-man squad for the second half of the 2021-22 campaign.

Once Hayden’s departure is confirmed, Newcastle will have successfully, albeit on loan, offloaded him, Jeff Hendrick and Ryan Fraser - three players who trained away from Howe’s first-team this summer.

“I think I had those conversations with those players last year, where they trained separately from the group,” Howe said previously. “That was only so I could control the numbers that I was working with and maintain the focus of the players that were going to be part of our season.

“I don’t anticipate that changing, to be honest. Those lads have done very well, and they’ve been great lads and servants to the football club over many seasons. We certainly respect them, but sometimes you have to make a clear break and focus on the players that are going to be part of our season next year.”