Newcastle United have the option to take up an agreed transfer fee with Aston Villa in the summer for loanee Matt Targett. Elsewhere, head coach Eddie Howe insists he will remain 'grounded' despite the Magpies' dramatic revival.
Here are your Newcastle United headlines for March 8.
Targett transfer option
Newcastle United already have their first signing of the summer lined up ahead of the next window. And fans can expect another busy window as the Magpies look ahead to a brighter future.
But United's early work in the window is likely to surround capturing left-back Matt Targett on a permanent deal from Aston Villa after what has been a positive loan spell so far. Villa, who signed Lucas Digne in January, are already exploring other options for back-up left-backs for next season.
Chronicle Live understands that Newcastle have an option on Targett to turn the deal into a permanent move with a fee of around £15million already agreed between Villa and the Magpies. Targett spoke about getting his head down and focusing on the job in hand for Newcastle in the Premier League recently but he is enjoying his time on Tyneside and has already had some accommodation options put to him should his stay be extended later this year.
Howe 'grounded' despite form
Eddie Howe admits he can't enjoy Newcastle United's eight-game unbeaten run for too long - knowing that thoughts have already turned to the next game away to Southampton. Victory on the South Coast could - somewhat incredibly - open up the path to the Premier League's top 10 in a season that had been written off as a relegation from some pundits.
But Howe is eager to keep feet firmly on the ground, even if a win against the Saints could trim down the gap to just two points on 10th place Crystal Palace. Despite the win over Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle were arguably hanging on to three points by the end at St James' Park on Saturday.
Owners' vision
Kieran Trippier has revealed that Newcastle United's owners plan to 'build' a side capable of one day winning the club's first ever Premier League title if the Magpies manage to stay up this season.
Newcastle were already in a relegation dogfight when the takeover was completed last October after the black-and-whites failed to win a game up to that point. However, one of the consortium's first major decisions, to appoint Eddie Howe as head coach, has since paid off alongside some shrewd recruitment in the mid-season window.
The hierarchy's aim this season was to simply stay up and, while there is work to do yet, Howe's side are on course to do just that after moving seven points clear of the relegation zone following a 2-1 win against Brighton last week. To put that turnaround into perspective, Newcastle were 11 points off their current position in 14th place as recently as mid-January.
Lee's death
Gordon Lee, one of the most controversial managers in Newcastle United's history, has died aged 87. During his two-year reign in the mid seventies Lee hit the heights steering United to the 1976 League Cup final at Wembley and a top-five finish confirmed shortly after he left the club.
However he also rocked Tyneside by selling Newcastle's N .9 legend Malcolm Macdonald and his ace goalmaker Terry Hibbitt. It left the club and the fans bitterly divided and Lee's folly was compounded when shortly afterwards in February of 1977 he upped and left for Everton.
Lampard's verdict
Eddie Howe will have no doubt kept an eye on how Everton set up against Spurs on Monday night, ahead of Newcastle's trip to Goodison next week, but the Magpies' head coach has preferred to focus his energy on his own players rather than worrying too much about other sides. That shows how much Newcastle's mentality has changed in recent months.
Indeed, instead of prioritising the opposition's strengths in team meetings, for example, Howe prefers to highlight how his side can hurt them when he speaks to his players. That change of approach was quickly apparent when Howe took charge last November, whether Newcastle were playing Brentford at home or travelling to Anfield to take on Liverpool, and it felt part of a process.
While there was not necessarily an immediate new manager bounce in terms of results, there were signs that approach would pay off as the players became fitter, better utilised and started to learn how to manage games again. Everton, in contrast, have looked a little lightweight under Lampard, particularly on the road, but the Toffees' boss is trying to stay upbeat.
Carragher's prediction
Jamie Carragher believes that Everton should expect to get four points from their upcoming matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United as he assessed their chances of survival.
The Toffees travelled to Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night in the Premier League 17th in the table, just a point above the relegation zone. And that's where they remain after suffering a 5-0 defeat to Antonio Conte's Champions League-chasing team.
It's a result that would concern Everton supporters and they will be hoping to bounce back when they return to Goodison Park to face Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United within the space of four days. The Toffees have lost seven of their last eight league matches and are under extreme pressure to survive the drop.
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