Newcastle United set to open contract talks with £13m star backed for England call-up

Newcastle United are reportedly set to offer a new deal to Dan Burn after he enjoyed a remarkable first year with his boyhood club.

The Blyth-born defender has become an integral figure in the Magpies side ever since he returned to the North East in a reported £13m deal last January. Featuring at both centre-back and left-back, Burn helped Eddie Howe’s men escape the Premier League relegation zone and secure a place in mid-table by the time last season came to a close.

The 30-year-old has featured in every Premier League game during the current campaign and has helped United force their way into contention for a Champions League place. Burn also produced one of the season’s most memorable moments when he netted the opening in a 2-0 win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup quarter-final and he has recently spoken of his pride at helping the Magpies reach their first major final since 1999 in the same competition.

Burn’s form and versatility had led to suggestions he could force his way into the England squad and United manager Howe has insisted there is still time for the defender to receive a belated international call-up.

Speaking after the Carabao Cup win against Leicester City in January, Howe said: “Dan is probably silently very motivated by that (playing for England). I don’t think it’s something he would communicate necessarily to me or to his team-mates, maybe when pushed in the media possibly.

“But I think he is very much of the mindset that his performances speak for themselves, really, and that he would hope that they would be enough to be in contention. For me, he was very unlucky not to go to the World Cup, not putting pressure on Gareth but I would think he would have been very close. He just missed out, I think, and he’s carried that form on.

“Credit to Dan that he’s carried that form on. The World Cup has ended and that dream faded, but there’s still time for him and his adaptability and versatility is potentially a real avenue and a route in for England, potentially.”

Burn’s immediate focus will be on helping Newcastle round off what has already been a remarkable season over the coming months before he heads into the final year of the deal he signed when he joined the club last January. Football Insider have now reported the defender is to be offered an opportunity to extend his contract and is ‘next on the agenda’ after Kieran Trippier put pen-to-paper earlier this month.