‘Deal on’ - Newcastle United suffer fresh transfer blow as Premier League rivals submit ‘opening bid’

Newcastle United have been dealt a potential transfer blow in their bid to land a winger this summer.

It has already been an interesting summer for the Magpies, who are preparing for a Champions League and Premier League campaign. Eddie Howe knows he needs to add quality and depth to kep positions over the course of this summer as Newcastle prepare to balance league and European football for the first time in two decades.

The Magpies have already spent big to land Sandro Tonali, and they are not done there, but they will have to be careful from here.

Financial Fair Play will govern what Newcastle can and can’t do with their transfer business this summer, and having spent big on Tonali, it is likely they will only be able to spend big on one more signing before looking for cheaper or loan signings. It’s likely that one more big signing will be a winger, with Howe needing more strength in his front line.

Leicester City star Harvey Barnes may be top of the pile at this stage, but Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby has been heavily linked for six months or more. But it now seems as though the Magpies are behind in the queue to land the winger, with Aston Villa said to be making a move.

Fabrizio Romano has tweeted: “Understand Aston Villa official bid for Moussa Diaby was €35m plus add-ons — this is the real fee. Bayer Leverkusen rejected but told the negotiations are still ongoing, deal ON. Diaby wants the move, he already said yes to Villa and Leverkusen are aware of that.”

Diaby has 31 goals and 38 assists in 125 Bundesliga appearances, and he will almost certainly move somewhere this summer. It’s looking less and less likely that Newcastle will be the destination.