Isaac Hayden seals Newcastle United exit: Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth & Stoke City should pounce | OneFootball

Isaac Hayden is reportedly attracting interest from clubs across the Championship after his exit from Newcastle United.

Isaac Hayden has become a free agent after agreeing to depart Newcastle United, leading to speculation over a move to the Championship.

The Magpies confirmed his departure from St. James' Park on Saturday via their official club website.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the midfielder already has multiple sides in the Championship as well as across the continent weighing up a move ahead of the new campaign.

The 30-year-old has previously spent time on loan with the likes of Norwich City, QPR and Portsmouth after falling down the pecking order at the Premier League club.

But he is now able to make a permanent move elsewhere this summer after ending his nine-year association with the Magpies.

Here we look at three Championship sides that should pounce on this development by making a move to sign Hayden…

Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday will naturally be linked to any free agent that comes up now because of the nature of their financial issues.

But Hayden could be a solid addition if they can figure a way to make it work.

The Owls are restricted to free agent signings, with a max limit of £7,000 per week contract offers, which could make a deal tricky to pull off.

However, if Hayden can be convinced to make the move to Hillsborough, then he will add some experience to an otherwise younger squad.

He will also bring some defensive solidity in midfield that will naturally be needed after the exodus of players they’ve suffered this summer.

Being able to strengthen in any way is necessary for Sheffield Wednesday at the moment, and Hayden could be a great opportunity amid their limited ability to bring players in this transfer window.

Portsmouth

Hayden spent the second half of last season at Fratton Park, where he made 17 appearances in the Championship for John Mousinho’s side.

The former Arsenal academy graduate proved a solid addition to the Portsmouth squad, with his experience and defensive efforts in midfield helping them remain in the division.

Pompey earned a 16th-place finish in the table in their first year back in the second tier, so bringing Hayden back for at least another year would make a lot of sense.

Given he is a free agent, the relatively low cost of the deal could also make sense as a short-term boost to the team.

He may not be a regular starter next season at the club, but he would provide a strong level of depth that could allow Mousinho some greater rotation in the coming campaign.

Stoke City

Stoke City will be hoping to have a much more promising year under Mark Robins than the 18th place finish they earned last year.

One area of the squad that could be improved over the summer is in midfield, where someone like Hayden could provide the kind of boost they need.

The former England youth international and current Jamaica international could complement Lewis Baker nicely, and could be an upgrade on Ben Pearson, which would give the side some greater defensive shape.

Given he’s now a free agent, the low cost of completing a deal will also be tempting for the Potters, who will otherwise want to avoid spending too heavily on someone with Hayden’s profile.