Aston Villa will let Matt Targett leave for £15m this summer

Matt Targett can leave Aston Villa for about £15million this summer following a positive start to his loan spell at Newcastle.

The left-back was allowed to depart Villa Park when boss Steven Gerrard signed Lucas Digne and Sportsmail understands Targett is expected to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Targett has made four appearances in Newcastle’s fight against relegation and has played a part in the improved form that has helped the Magpies move seven points clear of the bottom three.

Matt Targett (above) signed for Newcastle United on loan during the January transfer window

Targett (left) has featured four times for the Premier League strugglers this season

The 26-year-old’s anticipated move is likely to be one of a number of changes made by Villa this summer as Gerrard is backed again in the transfer market, after Digne, Calum Chambers and Philippe Coutinho arrived during the January window.

Gerrard has made clear he would back a permanent deal for Coutinho, whose £250,000 week contract at Barcelona expires at the end of next season and who would cost about £33million. 

Steven Gerrard is prepared to sell him permanently to Eddie Howe for around £15million 

Gerrard is happy to let the left-back go after signing Lucas Digne during the January window

The former England captain is also targeting a centre-back and an athletic central midfielder, while he may also look to reinforce in attack and in the full-back positions.

‘It was a difficult decision to leave because obviously last season I was pretty much the only left-back,’ Targett said last month. ‘I knew the club wanted to sign a left-back and I was quite surprised when they signed someone like Lucas Digne.

‘I’m 26 – I don’t want to be sitting on the bench. I want to look back at my career and have played as many Premier League games as possible.’