Newcastle United defender Matt Targett admits his time at the club is over - but has thanked Eddie Howe for the role he played over a potential January recall.

The left-back has spent the season on loan at Championship outfit Middlesbrough, with Kim Hellberg's side in the running for promotion to the Premier League.

After finding first-team opportunities hard to come by at Newcastle, Targett has become an important player for Boro, and is focused on helping them achieve their promotion aims.

There was speculation that United could recall the 30-year-old in the January transfer window, with injuries to Dan Burn, Fabian Schar and Sven Botman leaving the Magpies short of cover in defence.

Howe was always reluctant to cut short Targett's time on Teesside, especially as it would only be a short-term measure, and Newcastle made the decision to allow his to stay at the Riverside.

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It's something Targett remains extremely grateful for in a season where...