Newcastle United winger Callum Roberts has confirmed he will leave the club in the summer with his contract expiring.
He is one of two senior men whose contracts are up at the end of the season – Mo Diame is the other – but Roberts has pre-empted From Rafa contract talks to kit release and pre-season return: The key Newcastle dates this close season by confirming his departure in a touching message to his boyhood club.
Posting on Twitter he said: “Would like to thank everyone associated with @NUFC for my time at the club.
“From progressing through every age group to playing and scoring in the first team (they are) things I will never forget. I would also like to thank all the coaching staff and players I’ve played with for making me the player and person I am today.
“When one door closes another always opens and im already looking forward to the future. Again thank you and all the best.”
Roberts is understood to be close to a move to Panathinaikos, where ex-Newcastle man Nikos Dabizas is Director of Football. The winger scored his first senior goal for Newcastle in the Blackburn FA Cup replay win and will not be short on takers if he decides to remain in England.
His exit is the first of what promises to be a busy summer at United. As well as Diame’s contract – which looks unlikely to be renewed with the midfielder keen on a two-year deal and United now not obliged to offer him anything after he missed the number of games required to trigger an automatic renewal – there are question marks over a slew of first team squad members.
Jack Colback has another year left on his deal but will leave while Rob Elliot, Achraf Lazaar, Rolando Aarons and Henri Saivet are among those who are almost certain to leave this summer if Rafa Benitez remains.
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