The Newcastle United transfer request turned down - three times

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony says a request to terminate Kelland Watts’ loan has been turned down three times by Newcastle United.

The 23-year-old is at risk of missing the remainder of the campaign with a hamstring injury, which was picked up just days after his loan spell was extended until May.

Posh asked to send Watts back to Tyneside and reinvest his wages in signing another defender. However, according to MacAnthony, United said no.

In response to a tweet asking if the League One club was unable to end Watts’ loan, MacAnthony said: “Correct. Asked three times and turned down three times. Life of an EFL club at times.”

Watts joined Posh last summer when recovering from knee surgery but when fit from October onwards was used sparingly by previous boss Grant McCann.

The return of Darren Ferguson as manager saw Peterborough retain Watts’ services. Despite his absence, they are permitted to pay part of the centre-back’s wages.

Speaking last month, MacAnthony told the Hard Truth Podcast: “We want to sign a centre-back in this window but we are on the hook financially for Kell Watts which means we can’t budget for a new signing. I am going to contact Dan Ashworth to see if Newcastle can do us a favour.

“Clubs have done favours for us in the past when loan players have picked up injuries and I have helped out non-league clubs in similar situations.

“Sometimes clubs help and sometimes they don’t, but I will be asking the question.”