Newcastle United are reportedly weighing up a move for Aston Villa captain John McGinn as Eddie Howe looks to strengthen his midfield.
Having lost Sean Longstaff to Leeds, Newcastle are reportedly looking to improve their midfield and have identified 30-year-old McGinn as the player to do that.
According to the Daily Mail and Football Insider, Newcastle are contemplating a move but it seems unlikely Villa would sanction a transfer this late in the window, not to mention the Birmingham club’s opening Premier League fixture is against Newcastle.
Football Insider claim the Scottish international is unhappy about being subbed off early in a number of big games last season and his minutes fell towards the end of the campaign.
Unai Emery’s side has already reportedly rejected an enquiry from Everton over the availability of McGinn who joined Villa in 2018. The club reportedly see him as not for sale for any price.
A potential sale of McGinn is made all the more unlikely by the recent injury to Morgan Rogers.
The 23-year-old was substituted during Villa’s pre-season game against Roma and replacement Emi Buendia lasted just six minutes before also leaving the field with an injury.
Villa have agreed a deal for Nice’s Evann Guessand who will cost an initial £23.5m but that could rise to £28m. The 24-year-old will reportedly sign a contract until 2030.
For Newcastle, they have found it difficult to bring any fresh faces through the door with a number of high-profile pursuits ultimately ending unsuccessfully.
The latest of those is Benjamin Sesko who looks to have turned down the chance to play Champions League football in order to join Manchester United.
After Newcastle had a bid accepted, the Red Devils submitted a £65.3m offer with the Slovenian said to prefer a move to Old Trafford.
Transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano claims “the big signing for United is coming” with the clubs trying to thrash out a deal.
“[Manchester United Director of Recruitment] Christopher Vivell is working on this deal because he knows the Red Bull group very well, but also [Director of Football] Jason Wilcox is being crucial once again in these conversations and negotiations,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.
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“He is now taking care of the structure of the deal with RB Leipzig to change maybe the structure of add-ons, to make it almost guaranteed, the main part of the transfer fee for RB Leipzig.
“So work in progress to reach an agreement club-to-club and then to complete the transfer of Benjamin Sesko. The big signing for United is coming.
“There is a feeling that RB Leipzig want to extend the negotiations because they want to get the best price possible. Manchester United have a good relationship with Leipzig, so they hope this will not be very long.
“So let’s see, it can really be any moment because the two clubs are in direct contact and then Sesko is expected to become a new Manchester United player.”
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