January 2022 saw Newcastle United recruit Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Matt Targett.
With a desperate relegation position inherited from Mike Ashley and Steve Bruce, Eddie Howe and the Newcastle United owners facing a survival bid against the odds, before they could even begin to talk about moving forward.
Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes have proved the most high profile of those opening transfer window signings.
However, they started only five (Trippier a bad injury) and eleven (Bruno allowed settling in time to a new country, league, culture) Premier League games that first half season at Newcastle United.
It was actually Dan Burn (16 starts), Matt Targett (16 starts) and Chris Wood (15 starts) that were the trio of signings that were key to that survival. Indeed, Bruno didn’t start a match until the 12th last game of the 2021/22 season. Eddie Howe already had the team on an eight match unbeaten run and five wins in their last six PL games.
Chris Wood was a superb short-term fix and Alexander Isak arrived in the summer 2022 window. Wood then moving on to Forest in January 2023 as he was behind both Isak and Wilson (when fit…).
Kieran Trippier has now announced he will be leaving at the end of June, with Matt Targett also now looking towards life after Newcastle United. So it will be a case of then only Dan Burn and Bruno Guimaraes remaining from that emergency January 2022 window.
Matt Targett has been looking back at his time at Newcastle United, as well as what the future now holds for him: “It was so frustrating my time at Newcastle United. When I went on loan I loved it and played all the time. I picked up a few injuries and it was hard to get back in the team and the team progressed so quickly. They have some unbelievable players up there now and they are only going to get better and better.”
A lot of fans have such short memories and choose not to recall how well Matt Targett did at Newcastle United initially.
The former Aston Villa player then having such bad luck with injuries and with Dan Burn playing at left-back in a defence that was only matched by Manchester City in the 2022/23 season in terms of PL goals conceded, Matt Targett struggling for fitness and opportunities when he did get fit.
The signing then of an elite teenage talent such as Lewis Hall, then did really make it mission impossible for Matt Targett.
The former Villa defender moving to Middlesbrough on loan this season and showing his quality, a key factor in their promotion push.
Matt Targett commenting: “I had two and a half…three years, not playing many minutes [for Newcastle United]. It was really important for me to come here and get the minutes to prove to everyone I can play a full season without injuries. Thankfully I have done that, I’m in my last year [of my Newcastle contract] so it was very important I came and played.”
With his NUFC contract to end on 30 June 2026 and set to turn 31 in September, a big decision looms for the left-back as he considers his options.
Matt Targett: “I believe I am done at Newcastle United. That chapter is closed. Hopefully I get promoted here and there will be a contract, but if not, I have played as much as I can and I’ll assess my options. It was very important I came and played. I have enjoyed playing and that’s the most important thing. especially at the age I’m at now.”
With so many injuries hitting the Newcastle United squad, especially in defensive positions, there was talk of Matt Targett getting recalled by Eddie Howe and act as cover, taking him away from the regular football he was enjoying at Middlesbrough.
Matt Targett declaring: “There was a lot of talk about that as a lot of defenders picked up injuries at Newcastle United…I actually had a chat with Eddie Howe and he was so understanding of me and my position. For him to let me stay here and carry on playing football and enjoying my football here was very important. I can’t thank him enough.”
As Matt Targett has admitted, injuries and ongoing ambitious recruitment by Eddie Howe and Newcastle United meant that his own personal hopes and ambitions with NUFC ended up not being realised.
However, just like Chris Wood, it is important to recognise just what a huge contribution Matt Targett made in that astonishing successful survival bid. Newcastle United only won 13 Premier League matches that 2021/22 season and they won 10 of the 16 that Matt Targett played in, he only missed the victory over Villa due to the fact he was on loan from them.