Eddie Howe was Sad as Newcastle United star immediately terminated his contract after Leeds United showed interest.
Leeds United on alert as Newcastle United green-light transfer exit following £18m deal
Newcastle United transfers: Nick Pope will be allowed to leave the club this summer amid Premier League interest.
Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope will be allowed to leave the club this summer amid interest from the likes of Leeds United and Ipswich Town.
The Magpies have already confirmed the departures of Aaron Ramsdale, John Ruddy and Max Thompson and are set to sign Ewen Jaouen from Stade de Reims for around £18million.
The 20-year-old is set to finalise the move and complete a medical after agreeing a four-year contract.
The 34-year-old has been made available for transfer this summer as Newcastle look to avoid the prospect of losing him for nothing when his contract expires next year. Newly-promoted Ipswich Town, Pope’s boyhood club, are interested in the player and talks have taken place between the two clubs.
Any move to Portman Road would require Pope to take a wage cut. And with a potential move stalling, Leeds United could swoop in as they look to address their own goalkeeping situation.
The 10-cap England international is understood to be open to leaving Newcastle following a difficult 2025/26 campaign.
Pope, who joined Newcastle from Burnley in 2022 for £10million, is thought to be valued at around £5million this summer.
Pope’s expected departure, coupled with Odysseas Vlachodimos’ uncertain future following his loan spell at Sevilla, means Newcastle’s goalkeeping rebuild is unlikely to end with Jaouen’s arrival.
Manchester City’s James Trafford remains a player of interest and would be open to joining Newcastle, though the financial package required to complete a deal remains a significant hurdle.
*He Will Be Forced To Sign A New Contract: Eddie Howe ‘Sad’ As Newcastle Star Terminates Deal After Leeds Interest*
Eddie Howe has admitted he’s “sad” after a Newcastle United star terminated his contract immediately following interest from Leeds United, leaving the Magpies scrambling for a resolution.
The player in question is 22-year-old midfielder *Lewis Miley*. The academy graduate broke into Howe’s first team last season and was seen as a long-term pillar in midfield. But his situation exploded when Leeds United registered interest this week as Daniel Farke looks to add young, Premier League-ready depth ahead of the 2026/27 season.
According to sources close to the player, Miley triggered a release clause in his contract that allowed him to walk away for free if Newcastle failed to guarantee first-team football. Leeds’ approach convinced him the clause was worth activating. He submitted termination papers within 24 hours of the initial contact.
Howe was visibly downbeat when asked about it. “We’re sad to see Lewis go like this. He’s a Newcastle lad, we believed he had a big future here. But we have to respect his decision,” Howe said. “It’s disappointing when a homegrown player feels forced to leave.”
Newcastle’s hierarchy now believe Miley can be “forced to sign a new contract” under Premier League rules. Because he’s under 24 and developed at the club, Newcastle are entitled to compensation and can argue the termination was invalid without an agreed transfer fee. The club has already lodged a claim with the Premier League to block him from registering for Leeds.
Leeds remain confident. The 49ers ownership group sees Miley as exactly the profile they want: young, homegrown, and low-risk financially if compensation is settled by a tribunal.
For Newcastle fans, it’s a gut punch. Losing a local lad for nothing, or close to it, stings more than losing a £50m signing. For Howe, it’s another headache in a summer full of them. Whether Miley ends up at Elland Road or is forced back to Tyneside, the relationship looks fractured beyond repair.
