Southampton defender joins League Two Newport County on loan
SAINTS under-21s defender Lewis Payne has joined League Two Newport County on a season-long loan.
The 19 year old right-back makes the move to South Wales to join the Football League side after a successful season with the academy last year.
He made 14 league appearances and scored two goals as a part of the Premier League 2 title-winning outfit, after registering an assist on his senior debut at the beginning of the campaign against Cambridge United in the EFL Cup.
A brief spell with National League side Eastleigh was his first taste of life on loan, as a move up a division now awaits with The Exiles for the current season.
The club statement adds: “The club wishes Lewis all the best and looks forward to monitoring his progress in the EFL.
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Liverpool offered hope in battle with Chelsea over Moises Caicedo transfer
Chelsea remain in negotiations with Brighton after Liverpool reached agreement on a record £110m bid offer for the 21-year-old midfielder
Chelsea were still negotiating with Brighton for Moises Caicedo into the early hours of Saturday morning, but the ongoing delay could yet work in Liverpool’s favour in a multi-layered saga that has also seen both clubs also compete for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia.
Liverpool went higher than Chelsea in Thursday’s effective auction for Caicedo, bidding £110m, which then saw the Stamford Bridge club go to £55m for Lavia.
Chelsea are trying to do both deals, but there is some skepticism whether they can make the two work under Financial Fair Play without significant sales.
This led to a late offer of players on top of a fee for Caicedo, but Brighton were not interested in any part exchange as of early Saturday morning.
The fluid nature of the situation was illustrated in how Chelsea dropped interest in Leeds United’s Tyler Adams despite the player travelling to London in what was supposed to be a £20m deal.
In another twist, Brighton are themselves interested in the US international, as well as Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus.
The latter deal has not yet taken place due to a disagreement over a release clause should the Ghanaian sign.
Such moves are being made as Brighton prepare to sell Caicedo, and manager Roberto De Zerbi has already confirmed he is now working on his team without the Ecuadorian in his plans.
While the preference from the player’s camp has been to go to Stamford Bridge, and Liverpool do not have a concrete agreement, Caicedo’s main intention is just to play for a top club.
The Anfield club have not pulled out of the deal despite reports.It forms another subplot to Sunday’s meeting between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
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