These are exciting times to be a Newcastle United fan, with the club extending their unbeaten start to the Premier League season by drawing 3-3 with Manchester City, securing progress in the Carabao Cup, and plotting some serious moves in the transfer market.
Eddie Howe made building from the back his priority early in the window, with the signing of goalkeeper Nick Pope already looking to be an inspired addition from Burnley.
Defenders Sven Botman and Matt Targett also arrived, but Howe is still looking for more reinforcements and Newcastle are now focussed on signing attacking talent with a week to go before the window shuts.
Amid talk of the club’s transfer record being smashed in the coming days, who else could be arriving at Newcastle before the window closes?
Whether Callum Wilson’s hamstring injury was a factor or not, Newcastle have gone big in their search for a striker and have agreed a club record £60m deal with Real Sociedad for the highly-rated Sweden international striker Alexander Isak.
The 22-year-old, who was once a transfer target of Arsenal, is expected to arrive in England today for a medical and to agree personal terms, The Athletic reports. Isak’s representatives have been in England since Wednesday discussing terms, according to reports. Isak would break Newcastle’s transfer record, previously set when they signed Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon in January.
Howe was tight-lipped when asked about Isak and potential arrivals on Wednesday: “It’s difficult to put a number on it but at least one,” said Howe. “We were looking at the attacking areas of the pitch, I don’t think that’s a huge secret. I won’t go into any more detail on that.”
Joao Pedro
Newcastle have made an improved bid of £30m for Watford forward Joao Pedro as talks between the clubs continue. Sky Sports News report that Watford rejected Newcastle’s opening offer of £15m for the 20-year-old, but the Hornets have yet to respond to the second bid.
Pedro has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs, including Everton Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Leicester City, while Newcastle have also been linked the Brazilian’s Watford teammate Ismaila Saar. Aston Villa are currently favourites to sign the Senegal international.
Newcastle were strongly linked with a move for Leciester’s James Maddison earlier this month but have yet to reignite their interest after the Foxes rejected an improved bid of around £50m for the midfielder.
Leicester are reportedly holding out for £60m for the England international, according to the Guardian, while the Foxes also stand firm amid Chelsea’s interest in defender Wesley Fofana.
Newcastle were also linked with Leicester winger Harvey Barnes earlier in the window but no formal offer has been made, as we await to see whether they will go back in with a third offer for Maddison before the window closes.
Bruno Guimaraes
Casemiro’s transfer from Real Madrid to Manchester United triggered reports that the Spanish club would make a move for Newcastle’s own Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who had caught the eye of the Spanish club following his performances since arriving from Lyon in January.
However, Eddie Howe has been adamant that Guimaraes is not for sale and Real Madrid look to be happy enough with their options so are unlikely to make a formal offer.
The Newcastle goalkeeper has seen his role reduced to back-up by Nick Pope’s arrival from Burnley, and the Slovakia international was left out of Howe’s squad that faced Preston in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday amid reports that he was in talks with a shock move to Manchester United.
Dubravka is seen as an alternative to Kevin Trapp and Yann Sommer, who United had pushed for in order to provide competition for David de Gea following the departure of Dean Henderson to Nottingham Forest. The 33-year-old remains in talks with United ahead of the move.
