Don’t panic: that is the message emanating from Newcastle United sources after the turbulence of another week where the club’s best players have been linked with moves away.
Having already sold Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for nearly £70m, the club had long anticipated another one of their “big” players leaving in the close season.
Partly to satisfy financial fair play rules but also because the players themselves seem open to moving on, Newcastle have been working on the assumption that Gordon and at least one other player would go.
Sandro Tonali, who wants to explore options away from St James’ Park, always felt the most likely to go but this week has brought a flurry of damaging speculation surrounding talisman Bruno Guimaraes.
Club sources dispute that there has been any sort of offer from Arsenal for the Brazil international, reaffirming their stance that there has been “no contact” from the Gunners for Guimaraes until now.
The i Paper has been told that Newcastle’s approach remains that they will “not entertain” offers for their key midfielder and the reports come against the backdrop of a player who is interested in signing a new contract at St James’ Park.
But that does not mean that there is nothing to worry about. Guimaraes’s intermediaries are clearly testing the water to see what kind of interest there would be in the 28-year-old, and interest from Premier League champions Arsenal – and the prospect of Champions League football – are likely to appeal.
Newcastle’s asking price would be far higher than the £55m talked about, which is why it is probably a non-starter. But after the Alexander Isak saga last year, you would be hard pressed to find anyone offering guarantees on their skipper.
Newcastle insist they are continuing to “work to a strategic plan” and will not be put off by “noise” around transfers. Sales – even if the optics around them don’t look good – are part of that, with the intention to break up a group that has grown stale and smashing an over-reliance on a small pool of match winners in favour of a younger, hungrier team.
That sounds good and, in theory, selling a 28-year-old with two years left on his deal for big money might be logical. But Guimaraes is a different story, a midfielder who has a unique connection with supporters and one they are rarely able to win without.
And Newcastle also have to convince that they are able to close big incoming deals for the right price – something they have rarely done in recent years.
More on Newcastle
- Transfer latest: Why Newcastle’s Munoz deal really collapsed – and their next two targets
- Recruitment revolution: Newcastle hire AI transfer guru – nine deals it could lead to
- Newcastle’s striker overhaul: a £34m target, Osula’s new role and two for sale
Sources insist they are working on multiple “exciting” deals but being gazumped by Liverpool over No 1 winger target Victor Munoz last week contributed to a downbeat narrative around the club. Throw in doubts about Tonali and Guimaraes alongside Eddie Howe’s underperformance last season and it is a club in desperate need of some good news.
There is a belief that the market is being slowed by the World Cup – even Elliot Anderson’s long-expected move to Manchester City has dragged on because of his international commitments – but that does not mean a deal couldn’t be done before mid-July. Newcastle, it is understood, are hopeful of having another new signing on board before 13 July, when they return for pre-season.
But what is the likelihood of those being linked with moves away staying at Newcastle?
Sandro Tonali
Chances of leaving? 8/10
Newcastle probably need two to go this summer, given that they have breached Uefa’s financial fair play rules and need access to finances to reshape their squad. Tonali – who has interest from Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham – is the man most likely to go.
There has been no fresh offer from Spurs, despite the club believing that personal terms would not be a problem for Tonali. There is optimism in north London about the deal but Newcastle want “at least” £100m, which is where the transfer has stalled.
The optics of losing Tonali to Spurs would not be good, given they are one of the clubs that Newcastle had hoped to overtake.
Bruno Guimaraes
Chances of leaving? 5/10
Guimaraes’s representatives seem to be assessing what kind of market there is for the 28-year-old and given his age, decent performances at the World Cup and contractual status there is an element of pragmatism about what is going on.
The optics of it, though, are awful. Newcastle need players in, not to lose a talisman like him. If they sell him and Tonali, it will feel like the project is falling apart.
Lewis Hall
Chances of leaving? 3/10
Newcastle were bemused by reports that he had fallen out with Howe, and The i Paper understands there has been no contact from Manchester United. The Magpies want to keep Hall and believe they can retain the England man.
Tino Livramento
Chances of leaving? 3/10
At one point Livramento was the most likely to go, with Arsenal and Manchester City keen. But his injury problems have dimmed the chances of him leaving this summer – and Newcastle would like to re-open contract talks, with Livramento out of contract in 2028.
Harvey Barnes
Chances of leaving? 2/10
Aston Villa are among the clubs keen on a player who returned to the England squad on the back of solid form last season. But Newcastle would want good money for him – and are ideally looking to add a forward, not sell one.
from Football - The i Paper https://ift.tt/cDXhaG5
Post a Comment