Newcastle eyeing two Bournemouth stars as new target emerges – Mark Douglas

With that in mind, it’s interesting to see two Bournemouth players linked in a new report today, suggesting our recruitment team is keeping a very close eye on Eddie Howe’s former club.

According to Mark Douglas at the iPaper, Antoine Semenyo isn’t the only Bournemouth player on Newcastle United’s radar heading into 2025.

He reports that Ukrainian international Illia Zabarnyi is also a played Newcastle ‘like’, having impressed at the heart of their much-improved defence under Andoni Iraola.

It’s thought Chelsea are also big fans of the 22-year-old, who hasn’t missed a single minute of Premier League action so far this season.

As for Semenyo, who is currently considered too expensive to sign in January given our PSR situation, the Ghanaian has been regularly linked over the past few months following a brilliant run of form and an our ongoing need for a new right-winger.

Although not linked on this occasion, there were plenty of rumours – mainly from Italy – suggesting Newcastle were keen on Dean Huijsen before he swapped Juventus for the south coast last summer.

We may end up regretting our decision not to move for the former Roma loanee, however, as one analyst has told the i that the 19-year-old could become ‘one of the world’s best’ following his superb start to life in the Premier League.

Our own financial situation has made big-money bids difficult, but Douglas reports that Bournemouth have no interest in losing any of their star men this month.

It’s no surprise, really. If they are under no pressure to sell for PSR reasons, they will be keen to build on a superb season so far, where they currently sit 7th and just three points the top-four pace.

Semenyo and Zabarnyi remain two to keep an eye on, though, with it particularly interesting to see how the latters copes with a certain Alexander Isak next Saturday.