EDDIE HOWE has admitted that Karl Darlow and Jamal Lewis are both close to completing exits from Newcastle United.

Darlow is on the verge of sealing a permanent move to Leeds United, having been the subject of interest from a number of different Championship clubs this summer. Lewis is set to seal a season-long loan switch to Watford.

The pair are both currently in the United States as part of the Newcastle squad for the Premier League Summer Series, but will be given permission to return to England to complete their respective transfers.

Darlow is one of five senior goalkeepers on the Magpies’ books alongside Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka, Loris Karius and Mark Gillespie. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull City, and is set to become Leeds’ new number one with Ilan Meslier expected to leave Elland Road before the transfer window closes at the end of next month.

“Karl is a possible one that might happen in the next few days,” said Howe, who was speaking in the US ahead of Newcastle’s second Summer Series game against Chelsea in the early hours of tomorrow morning. “Karl will certainly go with our best wishes. He has been an incredible servant to the football club. We value him, but we can’t carry a team of five goalkeepers.”

Lewis joined Newcastle from Norwich City in September 2020, but has struggled to make much of an impression in the Magpies’ first team.

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He made just two Premier League substitute appearances in the whole of last season, with his only start coming in the FA Cup third-round defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

He will join Watford on loan for the season, although other mooted loan deals involving Garang Kuol and Harrison Ashby are not as close to completion.

Kuol has held talks with Dutch Eredivisie team FC Volendam, while Ashby is known to be a target for Championship side Swansea City.

“Jamal Lewis is probably the nearest to securing a loan move to Watford,” confirmed Howe. “That is closest in the pipeline, and that will get done in the next 24 hours. The other two (Kuol and Ashby)? No, nothing.”

Howe also confirmed that Allan Saint-Maximin’s anticipated move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli is not yet signed and sealed.

The Frenchman has completed a medical with Al-Ahli, and is understood to have agreed the personal terms of his move to the Middle-East.

There is not thought to be any problem with the deal, but at this stage, the final formalities of the move are still to be completed.

“I don’t really know what is happening (with Saint-Maximin),” said Howe. “If nothing officially has come out, then the deal is not completed.”

Newcastle continue to pursue incoming signings, with Dan Ashworth, Darren Eales and Amanda Staveley are all currently working alongside Howe in the US as they look to make further transfer breakthroughs ahead of the start of the new season.

Ideally, Howe would like to sign a full-back, with Southampton’s Tino Livramento still a leading target, and a centre-half, although he is reluctant to put a figure on the number of deals that might be in the pipeline.

“A number is difficult,” said the Magpies boss. “As soon as I say that, we put ourselves under more pressure. I hope we can do more business.

"I think we need to, but it would not be huge numbers, not loads of players coming through the door because we don’t have the ability financially to do that because of FFP. Hopefully, it will be quality over quantity.”