NEWCASTLE United right-back Danny Simpson is edging closer to signing a new five-year contract after a fresh round of “positive” talks this week.
United – who have agreed a £2million deal with Nottingham Forest that should see Wayne Routledge join the Championship club by the end of the week – are playing a cautious game on new contracts and Simpson has been made to wait for his new contract.
But with Alan Pardew urging the board to hand him a long-term deal, it appears as if an agreement is close after talks were re-opened this week.
The United boss would be loathe to lose Simpson, and there was a chance of that with Alex McLeish a long-standing admirer of the right-back.
He was credited with an interest when manager of Birmingham City and had ear-marked Simpson as a candidate for the right-back vacancy at his new club Aston Villa.
But the chances of him departing Newcastle appear to be receding, with his agent Will Salthouse telling The Journal that progress is anticipated soon.
“We had a successful meeting this week and we’re just waiting to hear back now,” he said.
“The deal is with the club now and we’re waiting to hear from them.”
As the Magpies look to tie Simpson up to a long-term deal it appears Routledge’s exit from St James’ Park is all but confirmed.
The winger was in Nottingham yesterday to discuss personal terms after Forest had an offer, in the region of £2million, accepted by United.
Former Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren has swooped after a move to QPR fell through, saving the winger from a season on the fringes at St James’ Park.
