NEWCASTLE UNITED continue to face stiff opposition in their pursuit of a wide attacker from the Premier League, with potential moves for Jack Harrison, Anthony Gordon, and Harvey Barnes all on hold due to other clubs’ unwillingness to do business with the Magpies.
Eddie Howe has taken his players to Portugal for a pre-season training camp, with two different Newcastle XIs taking part in two behind-closed-doors matches against two Burnley teams on Saturday.
The Magpies manager will oversee a more formal pre-season friendly against Benfica on Tuesday, but he is also attempting to complete two more transfers before the start of the new Premier League season.
He’s been trying to sign a wide forward all summer, but moves for Harrison, Gordon, and Barnes have all fallen through, with Newcastle’s recruitment team refusing to overpay for their targets.
There have been several discussions with the Leeds hierarchy about Harrison, but after losing Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha this summer, Jesse Marsch is adamant that he does not want to lose another key performer. As a result, the Leeds board has refused to lower their £35 million asking price for the 25-year-old, which Newcastle believes is far too high.
It’s a similar story with Gordon, with Everton manager Frank Lampard determined to do everything he can to keep his side’s most exciting young attacking talent after Richarlison left for Tottenham.
Lampard has urged his club’s owners not to sell Gordon, and while Newcastle officials have expressed interest in the 21-year-old, Everton’s position is that he is not for sale. According to Merseyside sources, Everton have begun talks about a new contract that would increase Gordon’s earnings at Goodison Park while also tying him to the club in the long term.
Barnes is another player who piqued the interest of Newcastle’s recruitment team long before the transfer window reopened, but Leicester, like Leeds and Everton, do not want to lose the England international.
Newcastle are hoping to sign a wide player for around £25 million, but Leicester are said to consider £50 million as a starting point for talks about Barnes, who is under contract at the King Power Stadium until the summer of 2025.
