Livingston boss David Martindale has confessed that he is in the dark over reports linking Newcastle United with a move for Jack Fitzwater – but admitted that the prospect of Newcastle being relegated this season means the Livi defender “ticks all the boxes” for them.
Burnley and Watford have also been linked with a move for Fitzwater and Martindale insists that the chance to win a move to the Championship was part of his pitch to Fitzwater when he brought the defender to Scottish football.
“I don’t know how true these stories are,” Martindale said.
“There is a chance Newcastle are going to be in the Championship next year.
“Any Championship team doing their recruitment should be coming up to Scotland and looking at young players who play week-in, week-out.
“Jack ticks all those boxes. It was my selling point to Jack, come up and put yourself in the shop window – because he could have got more money playing down south – and then your next move should be the Championship.
“He would be very, very fortunate to land into a Premier League club but it can happen. I think you will see it happening more and more.
“There were a few top Championship teams that came to our games last season to look at Jack, he was definitely one the scouts were looking at.
“Jack’s name came up on a good number of occasions. I think in England they have clicked on to the talent and the standard of player they can get up here.”
Fitzwater is likely to be watched tonight when Livi make the trip to Glasgow to face Rangers in the Premiership.
While the links with Newcastle came as a surprise, if they do get relegated, they could do much worse than moving for Fitzwater to bolster their bid for a quickfire return.
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