A round-up of the latest Newcastle United headlines on Friday, July 8.
The reality of Newcastle vs Arsenal battle for Lucas Paqueta as fresh talk of capital switch emerges
Newcastle United target Lucas Paqueta is yet to receive a concrete offer this summer - despite fresh talk of a Arsenal making a swoop for his services.
Chronicle Live has learned that the Brazil international is now focusing on pre-season training with Lyon after returning to his home in France. Fresh reports of a United bid for the player made the news in France with talk of a £34million offer from the Magpies resulting in Arsenal stepping up their interest.
Sources have confirmed that neither club has made the first step of an initial bid to get the ball rolling. However, we understand that the close pal of Bruno Guimaraes is relaxed about his situation in France. Lucas still has two years left of his current deal with Lyon but remains open minded about following Bruno to the Premier League.
Newcastle fans would love to see him join Bruno on Tyneside and were excited by the star's visit to the city earlier this year. United rocked French football when they signed Bruno from Lyon last winter and having successfully negotiated the deal which pipped Arsenal, they already have a direct line to shrewd Lyon supremo Jean-Michel Aulas.
Newcastle United could send transfer statement by repeating AC Milan scalp with Marco Asensio
Marco Asensio is the latest in a long line of superstar names linked with a move to Newcastle United this summer. The Real Madrid winger is naturally back in the headlines as he enters the final year of his contract in the Spanish capital.
26-years-old, the third-highest scorer at Real Madrid last season, 235 appearances for Los Blancos, three Champions League medals, three La Liga titles and 28 caps for his native Spain. If Newcastle manage to pull off a deal then it would mark a coup of unprecedented proportions for Eddie Howe 's side.
As usual with a player of Asensio's ilk, the big guns of European football are always circling. Manchester United and Liverpool have been heavily tipped to sign the winger in recent months as his agents test the water to see whether a big move is on the cards.
Amanda Staveley reveals what chats with Premier League chiefs reaffirmed to Newcastle owner
Amanda Staveley has revealed that conversations with fellow Premier League executives have reaffirmed to her that investing in women's football is at the 'heart of their strategies' - just as it is at Newcastle United.
Newcastle's women's side have been brought back into the heart of the club following the takeover last October. The club's new owners hope to take the Lady Magpies into the Champions League one day but, in the meantime, a number of gestures have gone a long way, whether it is paying the players as professionals or giving them the chance to play at St James' Park for the first time last May.
Newcastle Women may be competing in the fourth-tier currently but, remarkably, more than 22,000 supporters attended that aforementioned game against Alnwick Town. It was the largest crowd for a women's league match in England last season and kick-off was even delayed by a quarter of an hour because so many fans were queuing to get inside.
Newcastle transfer plan may lead to squad surprises and departures after what Eddie Howe hinted
Newcastle United players will already know where they stand. Back in May, Eddie Howe sat down with them all individually for an end of season review. These open and honest conversations prepared the players for what was coming in the summer and where they lay in the pecking order.
It was during one of these chats that Howe first informed Matt Targett that he wanted to sign the left-back permanently from Aston Villa. Given how Targett was already on loan, only two changes will have to be made to the 25-man squad Howe submitted in the second half of last season as it stands.
Goalkeeper Nick Pope will either come in for Mark Gillespie or Karl Darlow, depending on who leaves, or not, while Federico Fernandez place is under threat following Sven Botman's arrival unless Howe takes the fairly unprecedented step of including five senior centre-backs plus the versatile Emil Krafth and Paul Dummett.
Kieran Trippier on Newcastle's 'quality' new arrivals as Magpies return for pre-season
Kieran Trippier has praised Newcastle United for bringing in 'quality' in the form of Sven Botman and Nick Pope this summer. The Magpies have so far signed three players this summer, after the permanent arrival of Matt Targett and the two aforementioned players.
The second wave of Eddie Howe's squad returned to training after being granted extended leave following their international call-ups. Speaking to nufc.com, Trippier said: "It's always good to be back, I've had a nice rest with my family but now it's time to work. It's been good to see everyone today and it was a good first session.
"The first session is always tricky with the tests that we have to do but it's always good to get back to see the boys and to start to work again."
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