Jonjo Shelvey says he came close to West Ham move but Newcastle blocked it

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Boyhood West Ham fan Jonjo Shelvey says he came close to joining the Hammers this summer before Newcastle blocked the move, as per the Chronicle.

They report that the move was very much on the cards but the Magpies wouldn’t let him leave and he is now fully focused on earning his stripes again.

He said: “I’ve not once stated that I want to leave this club. I was close to leaving to go to West Ham but it never came – the club said no to it.

“I’m happy here, I love living in the city. My kids go to school here, they love it. The oldest one is starting to talk like a Geordie. My youngest one was born up here. I love living here.”

TBR’s View – Shelvey may struggle to fit in under Bruce

With a squad like Newcastle’s, the emphasis is always likely to be on high work-rate and energy with great organisation and structure.

Steve Bruce may be hoping to bring in a more expansive style of play than Rafa Benitez, but it’s perhaps no coincidence that they got that first win of the season without Shelvey and with a more structured setup.

Shelvey now needs to battle and show his willingness to fight for a place – because the fact remains that he has quality not many in the Newcastle midfield can match.