Southampton Forward Signs New Deal, Newcastle United Transfer Hopes Dashed

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Forward pens new three-year deal at St Mary’s.

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Southampton forward Jason Puncheon has signed a new three-year deal with the Premier League club to end Newcastle United’s hopes of signing him on a free transfer in the summer.

Puncheon, who was due to be out of contract at the end of the season, has been one of the leading lights in Southampton’s season and has been rewarded with new terms through to 2016 by manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The 26-year-old Puncheon, who has scored six goals this season and is the club’s second top scorer behind strike partner Rickie Lambert, admitted he was impressed by the vision of new St Mary’s boss Pochettino.

Puncheon told the club’s official website: “It feels amazing. It’s obviously been a worry because my contract was up at the end of the season, so it was important for me to get tied down.

“It’s a weight off my mind, so now I can look to the long-term future. The club has a vision, and that’s why I’ve signed and stayed on. We got to the Premier League in three years, and now the club has a vision of playing European football – and we want to get there as soon as possible.”

Puncheon’s contract situation alerted Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew, who worked with the forward when in charge of Southampton having signed him from Plymouth, with a potential free transfer move to St James’ Park on the cards.

But the former lower league player, who had three loan spells away from Southampton before becoming a first-team regular, will now be with the St Mary’s club until he is 30.

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