Newcastle’s pursuit of PSV winger Johan Bakayoko may have moved one step closer.
The Magpies are in the hunt for a right-winger and the 21-year-old is the name that’s been extensively linked to St James’ Park in recent days.
Bakayoko was believed to be close to joining Liverpool earlier this year but a deal never materialised. A report from The Telegraph and then Belgian outlet Voetbal suggested that the winger was a strong contender to join Newcastle in the forthcoming January transfer window.
There are still some hurdles for the Premier League to overcome, however. Newcastle want to secure a deal for Bakayoko worth around €30 million, but PSV are after more like €50m. Perhaps a deal could be struck somewhere in the middle, but it’s not clear how much wiggle room Newcastle have in terms of PSR restrictions.
What’s clear, however, is that PSV are preparing for life without the youngster, as a report from [Tom Bogert](https://x.com/tombogert/status/1870184120132780257) of GiveMeSport has revealed that the Netherlands club are inching closer to sealing a deal for Bosnia and Herzegovina winger Esmir Bajraktarevic.
The New England Revolution star is nearing a move to Europe after his side reached an agreement in principle on a deal worth up to $6m.
Like Bakayoko, the incoming Bajraktarevic is a right-sided inside forward who predominately uses his left foot, meaning that the teenager could well be a like-for-like replacement.
Not only that, there has been reports Miguel Almiron could be heading back to America, with talks ongoing with St Charlotte. His potential exit would free up funds for Newcastle still further.