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The latest transfer talk from Newcastle United as the Magpies prepare for the January transfer window.
Newcastle United have reportedly moved to the front of the race to sign a £7m-rated La Liga talent that has already captured the attention of Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City.
The Magpies are having to box clever in their bid to boost Eddie Howe’s squad during the next two transfer windows as they continue to battle with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations. After enduring a challenging summer where they were forced into the sales of Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to avoid a possible points deduction, United sporting director Paul Mitchell has already hinted the club will look to improve their scouting range to identified untapped talent from around Europe and beyond.
Speaking in September, he said: “As custodians of this club, we can’t just keep spending, spending, spending because at some point that won’t enable the club to facilitate its goals. I don’t think any Newcastle fan wants to see this club in a place where other clubs were last season with docked points (or) financial penalties because that can really affect our growth.
“Should our scouting and recruitment be driven more extensively with a wider reaching net? It definitely should be because this is becoming a really nuanced space now. You can’t just capital fund everything every year and buy loads of players at peak age and peak price. Was, let’s say, the scouting network, the lengths and breadths of our process and our strategies, including the influence of Eddie Howe, bigger and broader enough? Probably not. And that’s the bit we analyse to be better. That’s the bit we have to adjust and modernise.”
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The Magpies have already been linked with moves for several young players from around Europe after they were credited with an interest in the likes of Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov, PAOK striker Stefanos Tzimas and Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez. However, reports in Italy have suggested there is a name on the United radar after they were linked with a move for Real Valladolid defender Juma Bah. The Sierra Leone-born centre-back is currently on a season-long loan with the La Liga outfit after agreeing to join them on a temporary basis from AIK Freetong during the summer.
After making just one appearance for Valladolid’s ‘B’ team, Bah was promoted to their first-team and has made ten appearances in all competitions so far this season. SportItalia have claimed his performances have attracted attention from Manchester City, Chelsea and Bournemouth - but has suggested Newcastle have made a ‘concrete move’ by offering around £7m for the 18-year-old. Valladolid are set to trigger an option to convert his loan deal into a permanent move in January but are said to be open to a quickfire sale of the youngster if they receive a higher offer.
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