After a tough week on the transfer front, featuring Liam Delap opting for Chelsea and Bryan Mbeumo’s whopping wage demands, a couple of familiar names have cropped up once again.
In an in-depth piece from Luke Edwards on Newcastle’s battle with the ‘Saudi tax‘, several summer options are discussed, although not all seem attainable for varying reasons.
Working down the list of names mentioned in The Telegraph’s latest ‘exclusive’, it’s believed Man City’s James McAtee is a player liked by Eddie Howe, with a £25m asking price potentially tempting for the versatile England Under-21 international.
Mohammed Kudus at West Ham is another player mentioned, with Howe and the club’s scouting team ‘interested’ in the Ghanaian, provided a ‘suitable fee’ could be negotiated as the 24-year-old prepares to leave the Hammers.
The Telegraph reveal that two right-sided targets who’ve been ‘discussed extensively’ include Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga.
However, ‘as things stand’, meaningful progress is not being made on either deal, with both selling clubs demanding huge money for their star wingers. ‘That could change’, reports Edwards’, but this is an example of the club’s early frustrations, with the Premier League premiums and ‘Saudi tax’ at play.
Then to forward targets, Brighton’s Joao Pedro has been scouted ‘repeatedly’ and remains a target who Newcastle believe could play in several positions , not just cover Alexander Isak.
But finances are a problem here too, with the Seagulls currently demanding a fee of up to £70m for the Brazilian, who may also have doubts about signing should Isak’s central role block his route to starts.
Last but not least, another long-term target Hugo Ekitike is mentioned. He has been ‘tracked for years’ and almost signed in 2022, but Frankfurt’s £80m asking price has ‘put Newcastle off for now.’
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