Newcastle United transfer news: The Magpies are pursuing a deal to sign Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey - and have been linked with Bilal El Khannouss of Leicester City.
Newcastle United are continuing their pursuit of signing Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, with a move for the 24-year-old creeping towards completion. Whilst Fabrizio Romano revealed on Tuesday that a move to Newcastle United was ‘imminent’ for Ramsey, there is still work needed to be completed before he becomes a Magpies player.
Romano tweeted on Tuesday: ‘Understand Newcastle are closing in on Jacob Ramsey deal with Aston Villa! Agreement almost done for £40m package as clubs are finalising the deal and then… here we go.
‘Despite West Ham approach, Ramsey only wants Newcastle as #NUFC move is now imminent.’
If progress is made on that deal, though, then Newcastle United will pay Villa a reported £38m fee to sign the midfielder this summer. Villa are, of course, Newcastle’s first opponents of the Premier League season when Eddie Howe’s side make the trip to the midlands on Saturday.
Newcastle United’s Jacob Ramsey move to ‘block’ Leicester City transfer
Adding Ramsey to Howe’s squad will flesh out his options in midfield whilst also giving him an extra option to use out wide or behind a striker. Ramsey’s versatility and athleticism, on the surface at least, make him the perfect Eddie Howe player and after tracking him for a number of seasons, it will come as a huge relief to finally get his signature tied up if and when he is confirmed as a Magpies player.
Signing Ramsey, though, will end Newcastle United’s reported interest in Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss this summer. El Khannouss was one of the few bright sparks at the King Power Stadium last season and has been linked with a return to the Premier League this summer.
Interest from St James’ Park in the Moroccan international was first revealed earlier this month. El Khannouss reportedly has a release clause of £24.5m that could be triggered.
However, spending £38m on Ramsey and still having other areas of the squad that need strengthened, most notably the striker department, is likely to block a move to Tyneside for the 21-year-old this summer. Whilst Newcastle United have less PSR concerns than they did twelve months ago, they still need to ensure every signing they make will be a success whilst also avoiding overpaying for players.
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That is something that Howe has recently addressed, stating: “I think we were set up to do our business early but I'm sure every club would say the same because the preference is you get your players in and they do a full pre-season. Then they enter the first game of the season knowing exactly what's expected.
“We're not going to be in that position, albeit we've signed a couple of really important players for us. But we've lost a few really important players as well so it's just rebalancing the squad in the way that we want.
“But what will be will be in terms of timings. I don't look at it like that, as I said, it's all about the right player. We could sign anybody but they [may not] be the right fit and that will have a really detrimental effect for a long time.
“So we've still got to hold our high standards and try and bring the players in that we think can make a difference.”
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