England winger Andros Townsend is closing in on a move to Newcastle United, following Tottenham Hotspur’s softening of their stance over the 24-year-old’s valuation. Spurs have been playing hard ball with Newcastle with a demand of £14m for Townsend, but Lilywhites manager Mauricio Pochettino’s intervention has meant the road is all but clear for a Tyneside move.

Townsend has barely played for Spurs this season, managing only 64 minutes of Premier League action but his early promise and subsequent nine England caps has allowed Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to demand £4m more than Newcastle’s initial £10m offer which saw the transfer hit a stumbling block.

However, Pochettino has personally intervened to open up space in his squad and is keen to offload a player he clearly doesn’t fancy. Townsend was banished from Spurs’ first team after clashing with the fitness coach, Nathan Gardiner, and forced to train with the Under-21s. He has not played for Tottenham’s first team since and it is now nearly two years since he completed a full Premier League match for the club.

But it is understood Pochettino has been impressed with Townsend’s attitude since being outcast from the first team picture and is willing to allow him to move away from White Hart Lane as a goodwill gesture. Pochettino has requested Levy to soften his stance on Townsend’s valuation and the player is now expected to complete his move in the next 48 hours.

Townsend came up through the ranks at Spurs and after a series of loan moves across the country, finally found his place in the Spurs side in the 2013/14 season which led to his first England call-up in October 2013. He will hope a move to relegation strugglers Newcastle will be a step in the right direction for what has been a fading career.