Brentford will not sell Newcastle United target Yoane Wissa for any price unless they can find a replacement that will help unlock an increasingly complicated striker picture at St James’ Park.
The i Paper can reveal that Newcastle value the DR Congo international at £30m but a deal – while not yet dead – is proving far from straightforward.
It is understood that Wissa is viewed as a replacement for Callum Wilson and is not seen as Alexander Isak’s possible successor.
However, with Brentford having already lost Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United, they are not contemplating shipping another important forward who contributed 19 goals to their Premier League campaign last season.
Talk of their valuation being £50m for Wissa is understood to be inaccurate.
It is not the price that is holding up any particular deal but rather the issue of not being prepared to weaken their squad so significantly by allowing him to go without an adequate replacement in the building.
Wissa, who is desperate to move to Newcastle and play Champions League football, is not training with the Brentford first team and is understood to be unhappy at the deal having stalled.
But negotiations have been cordial, and it is understood that Newcastle’s valuation is considered fair, which leaves the door open to a potential agreement.
Newcastle are looking at alternative targets, with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko among the forwards being considered.
There has already been preliminary contact made on Jackson but the Blues are quoting teams an astronomical £80m for the Senegal international.
Sources believe Newcastle’s valuation is closer to £65m, which is more in line with the £69m that they were prepared to pay for Hugo Ekitike.
It remains to be seen whether the Magpies follow up initial enquiries with an offer, given they are also working on a move for Sesko.
There is an irony at St James’ Park that the issue holding up their move for Wissa is a similar dilemma that Newcastle have with Isak, who was withdrawn from the pre-season tour of Singapore and South Korea after indicating a willingness to explore a move away from the club.
A firm offer from Liverpool is anticipated, but, just like Brentford, Newcastle will not even contemplate letting Isak leave unless they have a replacement lined up before sanctioning a move.
That means the move is in something of a limbo. Newcastle’s official line – repeated publicly and privately – is that he is not for sale and that is more than just PR.
There is a realistic pathway where Isak stays and returns to the team at the start of the season.
But as with anything, if Liverpool’s bid is large enough and it is viewed internally as the right course of action for the club, they may do a deal.
The Reds, who have to sell Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for £63.5m, are preparing a record proposal for the Sweden international.
It is casting a huge shadow over Newcastle, and a swift resolution would favour everyone, but the dynamics of the transfer market seem to suggest that this could drag out over the last month of a fraught window.
from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/4NQalY2
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