Newcastle United are understood to have accepted Leeds United’s third offer for Sean Longstaff, with the departure hailed as a major win for their PSR and future transfer business – while the Whites have reportedly bid for an exciting Nice star who could become summer signing number six.
The Whites are ramping up their transfer plans as they prepare to embark on their mission to secure Premier League survival. And while the six sides all elevated to the top flight have succumbed to instant demotion, Daniel Farke is determined to break the mould and is looking to strengthen his Leeds United squad for the challenges that lie ahead.
Having made Lille left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson signing number four of the summer window on Tuesday, the West Yorkshire side are now looking to press ahead with two more deals – and there is a growing feeling that Longstaff will be the next to sign on the dotted line.
Our reporter Darren Witcoop revealed on Monday that Leeds were stepping up their hunt for the Newcastle midfielder, with The Athletic following on from our piece by revealing a £12m package (£10m up front with £2m in bonuses) had been lodged the Whites.
Now, according to The Chronicle in its print edition (9 July, pg 42), Newcastle bosses have accepted the offer from the Whites for the 27-year-old midfielder, who has now asked for time to consider the move down to A1 to Leeds United.
But with David Ornstein reporting on Tuesday that the Whites had already agreed personal terms with the North Shields born midfielder over a move, there is growing optimism that the 278-game star will accept the move, with his deal at St James’ Park expiring in 12 months and with the player having fallen down the pecking order under Eddie Howe.
While Leeds await a full green light to secure the move, reports have stated the Whites are also looking to make headway with signing number six in the form of Nice winger Jeremie Boga.
DON’T MISS ⚪🔵🟡 Leeds turn to 6ft 8 monster to fix problem position as Gus Hamer picks next move
Leeds chase Boga as Newcastle sale of Longstaff is hailed as PSR magic
The Whites are eager to boost their wing options this summer after loanee Manor Solomon returned to Tottenham Hotspur after his superb stint at Elland Road.
And while a possible return to Elland Road cannot be ruled out, the player’s wishes to try and catch new boss Thomas Frank’s eye, together with Spurs’ likely high demands over a sale, means a return to Elland Road looks a long way off at this stage of the window. And while that cannot door will not be entirely closed by Leeds just yet, the fact that they still have several positions to strengthen before the window shuts, including a new goalkeeper and a striker, means a lower-cost option to come in on the wing could be seen as more appealing.
As a result, the Whites are now reported to have launched an offer to bring Boga to Elland Road.
The 28-year-old has been on Nice’s books since 2023 but has seen his game time reduced in recent weeks, largely owing to a succession of injuries.
The former Chelsea man, who has won 25 caps for the Ivory Coast, is perhaps best known for his time in Italy with Sassuolo and Atalanta.
And it was with Sassuolo that he enjoyed his best spell in football, where he scored 11 times and added two assists for the then Serie A side in the 2019/22 campaign.
Now, according to Africa Foot, Leeds have made a €15m (£12.9m, $17.5m) offer for his services, though we have not been able to get confirmation from our sources on the possible link when asked about earlier on Wednesday.
As for Longstaff, his prospective move to Elland Road has been explained as a genuine PSR booster for Newcastle, with a financial expert explaining how his sale can surprisingly fund their entire £55m deal for Anthony Elanga, given the way amortisation works.
Speaking to The i paper, Professor Rob Wilson beamed: “If the Longstaff sale happens, it’s actually a superb bit of business for Newcastle in their position.
“As an academy product, Longstaff would represent ‘pure profit’ for profitability and sustainability rules purposes, so that adds another £10m onto their PSR calculations.
“Given the way amortisation works, that’s enabling you to buy a £50m player on a five-year contract.
“In layman’s terms, they’ve paid for the first year’s amortisation charge for Anthony Elanga in the blink of an eye.
“Selling Longstaff, even at that price, would mean their PSR ‘headroom’ is untouched and they can continue to invest in the squad. If they had £150m to spend before these two deals, they would still have that.”
Leeds transfer round-up: Joe Willock wanted;
Our reporter Witcoop also broke the news on Monday that Leeds are also keen on a deal for Joe Willock, having enquired about his availability during discussions over Longstaff.
However, it came to light that, while Newcastle are open to his sale, they are second favourites for his signature, with the attacker keen instead on a move to a Premier League rival.
In terms of a new striker, Tottenham Hotspur have been given an instant response after reportedly launching an offer for top Leeds target Rodrigo Muniz, and with Fulham insisting on a hefty asking price, it seems to have scared off both sides.
On the outgoing front, it seems a decision will soon be reached on the future of Jack Harrison after his two-year loan at Everton ended. The winger, due to report back at Thorp Arch on Monday, is, however, expected to finally seal a permanent move away, for a cut-price fee.
Jeremie Boga profile: Style of play, career so far
By Samuel Bannister
A former Chelsea prospect, Boga made a name for himself after being sold to Sassuolo in 2018 for £3.5m.
The winger found a home for himself with the Serie A side, where he stood out for his dribbling ability in particular and scored 18 goals from 103 games.
A step up to Atalanta followed, but Boga didn’t quite adapt and ended his time there with just four goals from 47 games.
Since 2023, he has been playing in Ligue 1 with Nice. At the first time of asking there, he recorded his best goalscoring season since he got 11 for Sassuolo in 2019-20. And in the middle of his six-goal campaign, he won the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast.
However, the goals dried up for an injury-affected Boga in 2024-25.
Now 28 years old, he still has his characteristic pace and dribbling ability. He ranked in the 94th percentile of Ligue 1 attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive carries per 90 minutes last season (5.46), and the 89th for successful take-ons (2.23).
Boga was a good creator of shooting chances, and his own shot accuracy was a promising 68%.
Nice’s profile of Boga on their official website praises the former Birmingham City loanee for his “speed, alertness and technical quality.”