Roy Hodgson may have forgotten him but Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola haven’t. Andros Townsend, 24, didn’t make the final cut for the England manager’s Euro 2016 squad but is set to leave St James Park this summer with Liverpool and Manchester City ready to trigger his £10.5m release clause.
With Raheem Sterling continuing his poor club form in France, Townsend’s omission is all the more surprising. The winger scored four times in his thirteen Premier League appearances last season and earned several Man of the Match accolades.
Signed in January 2016, he was a rare bright spot for the Magpies as they unsuccessfully fought relegation. With Rafa Benitez targeting a swift return to the top flight, Newcastle are ready to offer Townsend a new deal, significantly increasing his current £55,000 weekly wage.
Liverpool and City are desperate to boost their home-grown player quotas and are looking for experience with few youngsters coming through from the academies at the moment. Both clubs have so far been rebuffed by Arsenal in their enquiries for Theo Walcott, 26, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 22.
Townsend was at White Hart Lane for eight years but loaned out nine times, including a fateful spell at Queens Park Rangers as they too were relegated from the Premier League during his time at the club. Moving to one of the country’s big clubs may help end that unenviable record and at the same time, re-ignite his international career which has so far brought 3 goals in his 11 appearances for England.
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