Newcastle and Man Utd hit with ‘hands off’ warning as £86m race intensifies

Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Man Utd have both been hit with a transfer setback, according to reports. The Magpies and The Red Devils are both hoping to add further strength to their midfield this summer as they aim to compete on all fronts both in Europe and domestically.

The two giants, who both meet in the Carabao Cup at the start of November, have been keeping tabs on Valencia star Javi Guerra and earlier reports from Spanish outlet Marca claim the two teams have been watching the player closely by sending scouts out to attend every game at the Mestalla Stadium.

Guerra is viewed as a player with enormous potential and he first emerged as a key asset for Valencia’s team at the later stages of last season as the club battled to avoid relegation. The 20-year-olds first career goal came from the bench during a crucial 2-1 win over Real Valladolid as the six-time Spanish winners beat the drop by two points.

Guerra’s contributions which ultimately helped the club stay in the top-flight earned him a new contract which takes him into the summer of 2027 and he celebrated his new deal by scoring the winner on the opening day of the season against Europa League winners Sevilla.

Guerra is viewed as an all rounder who can control all aspects of the midfield and he has made an impressive start to the season with three goals and one assist from eight appearances. While he has also earned international recognition by making the most recent squad of the highly talented Spain U21 team.

Guerra’s form in recent months has prompted interest from both Man Utd and Newcastle but Valencia are keen to deter any interested parties from bidding for the player and have issued a ‘hands off’ warning, according to reports.

Valencia’s Sporting Director Miguel Ángel Corona told Mail Sport: “We are fully aware that we have a player with enormous potential for the future and the ability to perform at a good level now.

“That is why the club have decisively moved him up to the first team in recent months.It is not in our plans to sell him to any club.

“Our future plans involve continuing to give him the appropriate condition so that he is able to develop his full potential under Rubén Baraja, become an important player and continue to build a Valencia team of the immediate future around players like him.”

Corona spoke highly of Guerra’s influence on the team and claims his sudden rise to prominence is little surprise to those at the club, who have seen him rapidly rise through the youth systems since his arrival from Villarreal in 2016.

He added: “He has to continue working in this way. We have to be cautious when making assessments about his level or how far he will be able to go, as he is a young player and has a long way ahead of him, but only he, with his day-to-day work, will determine where his limit is.’

Valencia are determined to keep Guerra at the club, but both Newcastle are boosted by news from Fabrizio Romano which claims the player has a release clause of around £86m as part of the contract that he signed in the summer.

Valencia have a rich history of producing talent and the likes of David Silva, Raul Albiol and Isco have all graduated from the club’s academy in recent times.