Andros Townsend to Newcastle: Tottenham agree £12million fee for winger

The England international has been frozen out of first-team affairs at White Hart Lane this season

Mark Critchley
Tuesday 26 January 2016 07:01 EST
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Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend is on the verge of a move to Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend is on the verge of a move to Newcastle United (Getty)

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Andros Townsend is close to completing a move from Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle United, following the agreement of a £12million transfer fee.

The England international has only played 64 minutes of Premier League football in total this season, having been effectively frozen out of first-team affairs following a clash with his club’s fitness coach Nathan Gardiner.

Newcastle’s interest in the 24-year-old has been public for some weeks now, with manager Steve McClaren eager to strengthen his relegation-threatened squad.

The move looked to be in some doubt with Tottenham’s chairman Daniel Levy demanding at least £14million for the player’s signature and rejecting an initial offer of £10million.

Townsend’s switch to St. James’ Park will now go ahead, however, following the personal intervention of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino.

According to The Guardian, the Tottenham manager requested that a lower bid be accepted as a goodwill gesture, having been impressed with the winger’s attitude since dropping out of the first team.

The winger, who has been capped by his national team 10 times, was a regular in Roy Hodgson’s England squad last season and played an important role in securing qualification for the 2014 World Cup.

Townsend, who has not featured for Tottenham's senior side since the 2-1 Europa League defeat at Anderlecht in October, has reportedly told friends that the chance to head north was "impossible to turn down".

The move is expected to be completed within the next 48 hours, with a medical and personal terms yet to be finalised.

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