Jamaal Lascelles has agreed a new five-year deal with Newcastle running until June 2022, reports The Daily Telegraph.
News of the renewal will reportedly be made imminently and is a signal that Rafa Benitez is still planning for the long-term at Newcastle.
Lascelles still has three-years to go on the deal he penned when he joined from Nottingham Forest in 2015, but has now been rewarded for his fine start to the season.
The 23-year-old was made captain by Benitez after Newcastle were relegated to the Championship in 2016 and has since regained the armband following Jonjo Shelvey’s on-pitch meltdown at the start of the season.
Benitez is reportedly determined to transform the central defender into a full international despite the fact Lascelles’ ability has been called into question on more than one occasion.
Since the start of last season, Lascelles has been awarded the WhoScored Man of the Match at least three more times than any other Newcastle player in league competition (8).