204-game Newcastle star 'desperate to stay' at St. James' Park

Paul Dummett is loving what is happening at Newcastle and is “desperate” to stay at his boyhood club, according to Keith Downie.

The defender came through the ranks at St James’ Park and has been part of the first-team for almost 10 years.

While Newcastle’s financial power will undoubtedly have excited Dummett, it’s generally been a frustrating campaign for the left-back.

A calf problem kept him out of the first five months of the season, only making his first appearance against Watford in January. Dummett played 198 minutes across a four-game spell, although the deadline day arrival of Matt Targett has seen the 30-year-old drop to the bench.

It’s clear that Targett has already become Eddie Howe’s first choice left-back, although with Jamal Lewis left out of Newcastle’s 25-man squad for the second half of the season, Dummett is now back up for the on loan Aston Villa man.

Dummett is out of contract this summer, although he wasn’t included on the Times‘ seven-man list of players who are expected to leave Newcastle at the end of the season.

And Downie believes that after speaking to the defender in recent days, he’s keen on staying with the Toon Army.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Paul Dummett will be desperate to stay here. I met him the other day, and he’s loving what’s happening at the club right now. He’s a local boy, Newcastle fan and wants to be part of it.”

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Dummett has been a great servant for Newcastle, playing 204 times in the best part of 10 years since he broke into the first team.

But a host of players are expected to come and go this summer, with Howe likely to not only improve the first XI but build a squad that is capable of challenge for