Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan believes Danny Rose may want to remain in London, despite interest from Newcastle – but Steve Bruce’s men may turn out to be his best option this month.
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan hailed the potential addition of Rose from a Newcastle perspective but he was unsure if the Tottenham star would be interested in a move up North at this stage in his career.
It depends where he wants to lay his roots. It is a long way to go and unfortunately, that does come into consideration for a player when moving clubs. He has been at Tottenham for a long, long time now. If someone comes in closer to London, I am sure he will take that into consideration.
The London Evening Standard claims that Watford and Newcastle are hoping to sign the player, while Bournemouth have also been credited with an interest.
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The Evening Standard’s report seems to go completely against Whelan’s suggestions. In fact, they claim that the 29-year-old is keen to play in the North of England.
Not only does Rose himself holds personal ambition to play in the North, but Newcastle are arguably a more appealing option than both Bournemouth and Watford as things stand.
Following long-term injuries to both Paul Dummett and Jetro Willems (BBC), there is a clear and obvious spot for Rose to start regularly for Newcastle.
The Magpies are also seven points above both Watford and Bournemouth in the Premier League table. Out of the three teams, Newcastle look the most likely to beat the drop. This could be a very important factor for Rose, with the European Championships just around the corner.
Gareth Southgate has previously stressed the importance of playing regular top-flight football to any player hoping for an England call-up (Independent). If Rose still harbours an ambition of playing for his country, Newcastle may be able to offer him the best platform to impress.
