“It’s been agreed with Newcastle” – The director reveals the club may send the player back to the Magpies in January

Newcastle United’s Jamal Lewis has been on loan at São Paulo since the summer and the Brazilian club have an option to make his stay permanent.

The Northern Ireland international picked up an ankle injury while in action with the national team last month and has not featured for São Paulo since.

According to UOLcould the left-back’s stay at the Brazilian club be interrupted in the winter market.

As part of the loan deal, there are clauses allowing Newcastle to recall him and for São Paulo to terminate his deal in January.

The report says the 26-year-old could return to the Tyneside club if he has to undergo surgery on an ankle problem. In that case, the South American club will look for a new left-back in the winter market

São Paulo sporting director Carlos Belmonte has told UOL of the possibility of Lewis returning to Newcastle as early as next month. He has also stated that FC Porto’s Wendell is their “dream target”.

“The position is the board’s priority in the transfer market, and the dream is Wendell, from Porto. But if the Portuguese club demands financial compensation, São Paulo will be in a complicated position in the deal,” he said.

“Jamal might not be (a São Paulo player in 2025).”

“We have a clause in his contract – Newcastle could call him up at the start of the season and we could return him. Our relationship with Newcastle is unique. (…) He has an ankle problem and we are doing an assessment. It has already been agreed with Newcastle: if he has to have surgery, he will go back to the surgery and the recovery process in England.”