Matt Targett explains when Eddie Howe told him of Newcastle United transfer interest

Matt Targett has revealed Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe informed him of his transfer interest before the season ended. The defender has signed a four-year deal with the Magpies, making his loan switch a permanent one on Wednesday.

Targett, 26, played 16 times for Newcastle as the club pulled away from the relegation zone, with Aston Villa allowing the player to depart for a fee of around £15m this week. The player himself made no secret of his desire to join this summer.

Admittedly some fans were sceptical as to whether a permanent transfer would be pursued after talk of Targett's arrival cooled in the aftermath of the Premier League season. But the left-back admits Howe made his feelings clear before the final game of the campaign.

"I spoke to the manager just before the Burnley game and he said he wanted to sign me. After the last game of the season it went quiet for a bit but about a week or so ago it started to liven up again! So we've been back and forth recently but I'm over the moon that we got it done."

Howe made no secret of the fact he was a fan of Targett, giving him 16 appearances during the five-month loan spell at Newcastle. Targett's performances kept the likes of Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett out of the team, while Jamal Lewis lost his spot in the 25-man squad due to the Villa man's arrival.

While the likes of Renan Lodi have been linked with a move to Tyneside in that left-back position, Howe is clearly excited to get Targett over the line early in the summer.

"Matt had a fantastic impact after joining on loan in January and made a big contribution to some excellent team performances. He is a great lad and a top professional who undoubtedly makes us stronger so I’m delighted he sees his future