Striker Eddie Howe was a big fan of says Newcastle once tried to buy him

Add as preferred source on Google

Newcastle have had their fair share of transfer near misses over the years.

From Marc Guehi last summer to Luka Modric in the late 2000s, Newcastle have missed out on some star players over the years.

However, there are also some less high-profile signings that could’ve happened at St James’ Park.

Speaking on Under The Cosh, Troy Deeney has now shared that he almost signed for Newcastle United once upon a time.

The former Watford striker says that Newcastle came in for him after they were relegated, while Aston Villa were also keen around that time.

However, Deeney felt as if he owed Watford an element of loyalty at the time, so he knocked Newcastle and Villa back to sign a new deal with the Hornets.

• READ MORE: England star pens record Newcastle deal as club turn attention to Alexander Isak

Troy Deeney was wanted by Newcastle

Deeney shared how he almost joined Newcastle.

The striker says that the Magpies wanted to sign him when they were in the Championship.

Interestingly, via the Watford Observer, Eddie Howe praised Deeney as one of the best strikers in the Championship around this time.

“I was still on my five grand a week contract and I had Newcastle, Newcastle had dropped into the Champ, it was the year they had Leon Best and all of that. They were trying to sign me, and I had Villa trying to sign me as well. I remember my agent saying to me at the time ‘you probably owe Watford one here’. So we did a deal with him, went from £5k to £20k-a-week,” Deeney said.

Deeney could’ve made a big move

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Deeney share a story like this.

Indeed, the striker has previously commented on a number of big moves he could’ve made.

Deeney claims that Arsenal tried to sign him at one point, but they didn’t go ahead with the deal because he wouldn’t apologise for some comments he made in the past.

Meanwhile, Deeney also says that Tottenham wanted to sign him under Jose Mourinho.

However, Deeney would never get that big move, spending most of his career with Watford before brief runs at both Birmingham City and Forest Green Rovers before ultimately retiring.

Deeney certainly would’ve been a force for Newcastle in the Championship, but given that the Magpies would eventually go on to win the league that year, this probably isn’t one that anyone on Tyneside would’ve lost sleep over.

Newcastle ultimately ended up with a stronger strikeforce in the long-run, while Deeney became a legend at Watford.