Leonardo Balerdi Eddie Howe Newcastle United
(Credit: Imago)
Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent
Sun 6 July 2025 11:53, UK
Marseille will demand at least £30million if they’re to sell Leonardo Balerdi to Newcastle United this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed what his sources have told him about Newcastle‘s pursuit of the Argentine defender.
Newcastle are on the hunt for central defensive reinforcements this summer but have so far failed to make much progress in their bid to sign Crystal Palace’sMarc Guehi, with Balerdi a possible alternative.
The Argentina international is Marseille‘s captain and the Ligue 1 side are reluctant to lose Balerdi, and sources have told Football Insider that Newcastle would have to pay over £30m in order to sign him.
Juventus are also keen on the 26-year-old despite spending £20m to sign Lloyd Kelly from Newcastle on a permanent deal, and Football Insider sources have said Marseille will do all they can to keep Balerdi.
Photo Credit: IMAGO
Newcastle locked in convoluted Balerdi transfer chase
Eddie Howe’s desire to sign a new centre-back comes after Sven Botman’s struggles with injury and his starting pair of Dan Burn and Fabian Schar both turning 34 last term, with an injection of youth needed.
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Atalanta’s 21-year-old defender Giorgio Scalvini had emerged as Newcastle’s top target to remedy this, but both he and Guehi are expected to command transfer fees in the region of £60m and beyond.
Speaking on the new Inside Track, O’Rourke said that while Newcastle may only have to pay half that amount to sign Balerdi this summer, their bid to sign the Argentinian is by no means straightforward.
“I’m not sure it’s totally advanced, that one, but he’s a player who’s on Newcastle’s wanted list”, he told Football Insider.
“Eddie Howe would like to bring in centre back reinforcements – that’s why Balerdi is one of the players that they are looking at.
“It’s a difficult deal to do; he’s the Marseille captain, Marseille will be very reluctant to sell him – so it would take a big, big offer to try and convince Marseille.
“Newcastle would have to pay £30million plus, and Juventus are very much interested in him as well as they look to strengthen their back line.
“It won’t be a straightforward race for Newcastle, and I think Marseille will do everything they can to keep hold of him.”
Marc-Guehi-Newcastle
Marc Guehi could cost Newcastle over £70million this summer (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)
Newcastle need to re-rail turbulent transfer window
Newcastle may have wrapped up two transfers this summer in Malaga’s Antonio Cordero and Vakhtang Salia from Dinamo Tbilisi, but they’re yet to complete the statement signing their fans are crying out for.
Scalvini or Guehi would certainly fit the bill of “statement signing”, but Balerdi’s arrival would provide a solid jump-off point for Howe to bolster his defence and finally get a first-team transfer over the line.
Howe has been left increasingly frustrated by Joao Pedro and Bryan Mbeumo both turning down moves to Newcastle, but Balerdi could be the player who kick-starts a summer redemption at St. James’ Park.
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