Fulham are targeting Roma’s Brazil centre-back Roger Ibanez.
i understands that the Cottagers are keen on the 24-year-old defender, who is valued at £30m by Roma. Tottenham have also been linked with Ibanez, who has attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League.
Fulham are yet to make a summer signing but intend to back boss Marco Silva after he rejected overtures from Al-Hilal, who offered him an eye-watering £300,000-a-week to leave Craven Cottage.
Silva believes that Fulham can “kick on”‘ next season and establish themselves as a Premier League club after an encouraging 10th-place finish last time out. But he believes reinforcements are required and Ibanez, who is available this summer and expected to leave the Serie A club, could fit the bill.
Ibanez has been a consistent performer for Roma, a strong, technically proficient centre-back who has served Jose Mourinho well. But his stock has fallen since a mistake in the Rome derby last season which saw him heavily criticised by fans and Roma would sell for the right offer.
The Cottagers are attempting to tie Willian down to a new contract while this week they rejected a huge £25m offer for Aleksandar Mitrovic from Al-Hilal. The Saudi club are ready to triple the Serbia striker’s wages but Fulham are not interested in selling.
While keeping hold of key assets is important, fans are waiting for signs of progress and a move for Ibanez would represent an ambitious step.
The Brazilian has also been offered to Newcastle, i understands, and there was a measure of interest in the 24-year-old earlier in the year.
The Magpies are wrestling with FFP restrictions this summer. They also appear to have prioritised a move for Crystal Palace’s Danish defender Joachim Andersen.
A source told i Newcastle’s move for Harvey Barnes is “ongoing” as they continue negotiations with Leicester over both the fee and structure of payments.
The player is understood to be keen to join Eddie Howe’s side and there is optimism that the deal will be agreed – maybe even in time for Newcastle’s string of pre-season games in America.
Newcastle have already spent in excess of £50m on Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, one of two elite additions the club wanted to make in the early part of the transfer window. But with no major outgoings to offset Newcastle’s extensive spending, they will have to box clever after the Barnes move.
They could utilise the loan market and look to structure deals with staggered payments, while sales are another way of unlocking further funds. The future of mercurial winger Allan Saint-Maximin remains in doubt but there have been no offers for the France forward, who is in line to play a part in Newcastle’s pre-season curtain raiser at Gateshead on Saturday noon.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/Kfn0TQ9
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