Celtic legend Chris Sutton has told Newcastle United they should not sign a winger they are interested in who is now available for £15m.
The Magpies are looking for reinforcements ahead of their return to the Champions League, and are looking at several different leagues and countries to find them.
Earlier in 2025, it was reported that Paul Mitchell was looking to sign players from Ireland after success with the likes of Kyle Fitzgerald and Alex Murphy joining from Galway United in recent years.
It also appears that Newcastle United are scouting players from the Scottish Premiership, as they have been linked with Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn over the last few months. Reports stated that Newcastle scouts watched Kuhn in the Champions League in February and were thought to be impressed with his performance against German giants Bayern Munich.
Newcastle are in a strong position to spend this summer, with Kuhn being one of many wingers on their radar. However, they must be aware of recent comments from Chris Sutton, which may put them off any deals.
Nicolas Kuhn during a Champions League game between Celtic and Bayern Munich
Photo by Michael Regan – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
Chris Sutton slams Newcastle United target Nicolas Kuhn for poor form
It was recently reported that Kuhn would cost Newcastle around £15m, less than he was originally valued at in January. The price change may be down to his form in the latter stages of the season, where his form curtailed significantly.
From January, Kuhn scored just four times in 15 games and also struggled to find the net in the Scottish FA Cup.
His poor form has led Sutton to suggest that Newcastle should look elsewhere for a right-winger this summer and give Kuhn more time to develop.
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In his column for the Daily Record, Sutton said: “I have my doubts Celtic would get £15m for the German this summer, for a start. He struggled at first in Scotland as he struggled having lost weight with those dental problems.
“He was sensational in the first half of the season and looked a certainty to clean up the player of the year awards.
“Yet he did go off the boil a bit following the Bayern Munich game and it does pose questions about his consistency.
“Are teams going to cough up big money on the back of a spectacular six months? They might do, but I’m not so sure. Newcastle United were credited with interest back in January but I can’t see him shifting the likes of Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon.
“It just seems like the wrong time to be even considering selling, though. I think Celtic will struggle to get top dollar and yet I believe he will be worth more down the line.
“Kuhn isn’t ready for me. Sometimes you get the feeling a player has reached the natural stage where the next step is inevitable.”
Harvey Barnes statistics vs Newcastle United target Nicolas Kuhn
While Sutton appears adamant that Kuhn is not ready to play Premier League football, some Newcastle fans will be keen to see what Eddie Howe can do to make him ready if he does end up signing.
His form in the first half of the season is proof that he has the quality and could play at a high level later in his career, though it is fair to say that his loss of form will be a worry.
Despite what Sutton says, £15m for Kuhn looks to be a good price for the 25-year-old who has won four trophies since joining Celtic in January 2024.
2024/25 League Statistics Nicolas Kuhn Harvey Barnes
Appearances 32 33
Minutes 1,876 1,754
Goals 13 9
Assists 9 5
It is a different story for Barnes at Newcastle. The winger struggled for game time at the start of the season, but pounced on his opportunity when Gordon was taken out of the starting XI through suspension and injury.
As it stands, Gordon and Barnes could be left and right wingers for Newcastle next season, but the club are eager to recruit a new winger to make that less likely.