It’s about time there was some love for Harvey Barnes. Not just mild admiration and a few kind words - some proper gushing, hearts and flowers, chocolates and teddy bears sort of love.
Barnes, incredibly, is still not seen as a real asset by many people in the Newcastle United fanbase. OK, he may not have the electric pace and energy of Anthony Gordon but this is a player who has a proper end product.
He scores goals and creates goals. He threatens the opposition net every game he plays.
And yet when there's talk about Newcastle needing to do a deal, or flog a player, his name is always right near thr front of the queue.
First we had him being pumped to Aston Villa as part of a move that would have seen Jacob Ramsey move in the opposite direction.
Then, at the weekend again, [Barnes was mentioned by one outlet as a potential makeweight](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/harvey-barnes-decision-turns-heads-31911382) for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga if United were unable to afford the full asking price for the Swede.
Makeweight? Are you deluded? Let’s look at last season’s stats. Barnes scored nine times and had five assists in 22 starts and 18 substitute appearances. Compare that with Elanga - six goals and 11 assists in 32 starts and 11 appearances from the bench for Forest.
If anyone is going to be a 'makeweight' in a deal, surely it is the other way round? If Elanga is a £60million signing, then Barnes - who Newcastle signed for £38m two years ago from a newly-relegated club - is worth at least the same?
I get the argument that Barnes lacks a bit of pace and devilment. I get that he's probably not going to move Newcastle on to that next level.
He may not be as high-profile as Anthony Gordon, or have the cult status of Jacob Murphy. He may always be seen as the odd man out when it comes to choosing a 'dream XI'.
But let's not disrespect a model professional and a very good player who is already in folklore as [one of the players who ended a 56-year wait](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/harvey-barnes-reveals-newcastle-united-31316884) for silverware by claiming he's a bit-part player in a deal involving a similar Premier League player.
Newcastle need a robust squad next season as they compete on multiple fronts. Two players for every position is the ideal. They aren't in a position to start offering first-team players to other clubs, regardless of the circumstances.
Barnes remains a great addition and with a run of luck on the injury front will improve on 24 Premier League starts (which have seen 14 goals, a good ratio) in two seasons. He finished the season strongly, was in better form than Anthony Gordon and kept him out of the starting XI.
The 27-year-old will be aiming to challenge for a regular starting berth regardless of who is brought in as competition. Newcastle need to get a deal done but not at the expense of one of their key men.