Newcastle United are putting together a loan-to-buy deal for Man City winger Jack Grealish as they look to sign the England international, according to reports.
The Magpies qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the 2024/25 season in a boost to their summer transfer window ambitions.
Qualification for the Champions League gives Newcastle a huge financial boost and means some of the best players in the world will be more willing to choose St James’ Park as their next destination.
One player who could end up move to Tyneside this summer is Grealish with the England international set to leave Man City this summer.
A report in BBC Sport last week claimed that Pep Guardiola and the Man City board ‘still love Grealish’ but that ‘there is now a consensus that this is the right time to move on, particularly given Guardiola has said he wants a smaller squad next term’.
BBC Sport added: ‘Grealish is in agreement. After a difficult season on and off the field, he believes it would be best for him to focus on his future and find a new club.’
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And now Spanish website Fichajes insist that Newcastle is ‘determined to strengthen its squad and has its sights set on’ Grealish with the Geordies ‘preparing’ an ‘offer’.
The proposal Newcastle are planning ‘would be a loan, but with one very clear condition: it would include a mandatory purchase option for €80m (£67m).’
It is claimed that ‘although the deal has not yet been finalised, talks between the clubs are advanced, and news is expected in the coming weeks’.
Rodri has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson reckons the Citizens must tie the Spaniard down to a new contract soon.
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Borson told Football Insider: “You would think that the Real Madrid strategy of picking players off when they’re free transfers would definitely apply to Rodri if they could get him.
“We have to see what he’s like when he’s back. That’s the next big hurdle is how does he recover from a very serious injury that he had.
“It’s going to be quite a painful watch for City fans, watching those first few games just hoping he doesn’t get any pulls or knocks or injuries until he’s sort of in the flow.
“But if City can prevent him walking out the door on a free transfer to Real Madrid, that will be a very big and important development over the next few years because he’s clearly the linchpin of the side.
“It’s not a huge surprise what happened last season when he was injured. I think he’s just another critical piece in the next block of City’s rebuild.”