The latest updates on Newcastle’s transfer business - including news on several potential signings and sales.
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The first month or so of the summer transfer window definitely hasn’t gone according to plan for Newcastle. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali are gone, they missed out on key target Johan Manzambi, and there is an awful lot of work left to do in order to get Eddie Howe’s squad into shape ahead of the new season.
So far, Newcastle have decided to sign young players in the hopes of building a team which can play together for years to come. New signings Bazoumana Touré, Sean Steur and Ewen Jaouen are all under the age of 21, as is midfielder Aladji Bamba, who is expected to sign from Monaco in the very near future.
There is still a lot of work to do, however, and there is still a risk that more key players could leave – not least Bruno Guimarães, who is a target for Arsenal. With so much uncertainty and several players likely to join or leave in the coming weeks, we’ve explained the current state of play at the club below.
Bamba on the way – but another midfielder is required
The signing of 20-year-old French midfielder Aladji Bamba should be confirmed imminently, with a transfer fee of £34m expected – but Howe also wants a more experienced midfielder to bolster his squad.
Newcastle have made enquiries about Botafogo midfielder Danilo - a 25-year-old who was a member of Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad - but they face competition from Nottingham Forest for his signature. They have also been offered Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall, another player that Forest are keen on.
Forest had a bid of just under £40m rejected for the Swede, while Newcastle are still considering whether to make a move. The asking price has been set at £50m, but the player is keen to leave Spurs and could force the issue later in the window.
Should neither Danilo nor Bergvall prove to be obtainable, then Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson is another player who has been discussed internally. No bids have made for any of trio as yet, but it’s likely that Newcastle enter into discussions for at least one of them before the window closes.
Trafford & Seys on Newcastle’s summer shortlist
Outside of signing a new midfielder – which is something Newcastle are keen to do regardless of whether Bruno stays or leaves – the two main priorities are a goalkeeper and a new full-back, ideally one who can play on either side of the defence.
Belgian international Joaquin Seys is much admired at St. James’ Park and is a likely target, but the club are still considering their options at the position and appear keen not to be rushed into any deals.
Newcastle remain interested in Manchester City’s James Trafford but have allowed Leeds United to open talks without making a move of their own as yet – but they may well muscle in should Leeds make progress with their offer. Alternative options include Brighton’s Carl Rushworth and Parma’s Zion Suzuki, who is being monitored by both Leeds and Aston Villa.
Elsewhere, there is a possibility that Newcastle sign another winger to go along with Touré should they still have enough money left over at the end of the transfer window. That’s a much lower priority, however. 3 Added Minutes understands that recent stories linking them with a bid for Fikayo Tomori are unlikely to prove true – the club have scouted Tomori but don’t view a centre-back as a key investment this summer. They will only make a move if the price is too good to pass up.
Will Bruno Guimarães leave – and who might follow him?
Newcastle are determined not to bow to pressure from Arsenal and the player himself to sell Bruno Guimarães but will cave if the offer is sufficiently impressive. Right now, Newcastle are demanding £80m for the 28-year-old, with the Gunners hoping to avoid spending more than £70m.
The outcome of what could be protracted negotiations could be hard to predict, with Bruno himself pressuring his current employers to let him leave after four years on Tyneside.
Another key player who Newcastle could have trouble keeping is full-back Lewis Hall. Manchester United are very interested in the defender and may launch a bid later in the window once they have found another midfielder – but Newcastle are insistent that he is not for sale and are confident that they can cling on. Manchester City still hold some interest in right-back Tino Livramento, but his recent injury issues means that they are maintaining a watching brief for now.
Players that Newcastle are happy to let leave the club include Nick Pope (once a new goalkeeper has been signed), Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock, with all three players entering the final year of their contracts.
At present, Newcastle are not fielding offers for Yoane Wissa despite speculation that he could be sold following a desperately disappointing debut season at Newcastle. Howe still wants to give him a second chance to prove himself, and there has not yet been any strong interest from other clubs. It’s a situation which could easily change towards the end of the transfer window, but there is no movement as yet.