AFC Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly is close to signing a new deal with the club, a report from TeamTalk has claimed.

Kelly has been in outstanding form for Bournemouth this season, making 41 Championship appearances to help the club win automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

That is something that has attracted plenty of attention from elsewhere, with reports claiming that former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe is keen on bringing Kelly to Newcastle.

Now though, it seems as though such a move will not be happening, with this latest update claiming that Kelly is in line to sign a sizeable new deal with Bournemouth.

The 23-year-old is set to be rewarded for his work in taking the Cherries back to the top-flight of English football, and as such, any potential move to Newcastle is said to be off.

As things stand, there are two years left to run on Kelly's current contract with Bournemouth, securing his future at The Vitality Stadium until the end of the 2023/24 season.

The Verdict

This will be an excellent piece of business for Bournemouth if they are able to get it done.

Kelly has been a key figure in their defensive line in helping them to win promotion, so it will be a major boost for them to secure his services for the long term as well.

Indeed, given the financial strength that Newcastle have after their recent takeover, holding them off to get this deal done also feels like a major statement of intent from the south coast club.

As a result, this could well be the perfect start to a really important transfer window for Bournemouth, as they prepare for their return to the top-flight of English football.