Newcastle United are set to sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes, having seen off competition for his signature, according to a recent report from The Telegraph.
Who are Newcastle United signing?
Newcastle are still interested in signing a winger this summer, having recently rekindled their interest in Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby, who Eddie Howe will be hoping is available for a cut-price fee, given that he has just two years left on his contract.
The Magpies also like Eintracht Frankfurt's Jesper Lindstrom, who is planning to leave the German side this summer, as he is keen on playing Champions League football next season – potentially opening the door for a move to St James' Park.
While Howe is running the rule over a couple of options from the Bundesliga, he also has his eye on a target from closer to home, with talks recently being held with Leicester over a move for Barnes, who could be brought in as a replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin.
Now, it appears as though those talks are rapidly advancing, as The Telegraph reports Newcastle are set to sign the Leicester star, having seen off competition for his signature from West Ham United and Aston Villa.
The report also claims that Magpies are closing in on a deal for the Englishman, and they hope to get the move over the line in the next week, with their first bid expected to be made over the next few days.
Leicester value the 25-year-old at around £40m, with the Tynesiders hoping to pay closer to £35m, though a deal is still expected to be agreed upon.
The player himself is keen on a switch to St James' Park, and he is unlikely to turn down the opportunity to play Champions League football next season – even if the likes of West Ham or Villa decide to make a late swoop.
How good is Harvey Barnes?
Micah Richards clearly rates the one-cap England international highly, having lauded him as "incredible" back in January 2021, and he has since gone on to impress even further, scoring 13 Premier League goals last season.
Former manager Brendan Rodgers has also spoken highly of the left-winger, saying: "He's a really talented player, so whether it's in the Premier League or in the Europa League, he's a threat. His speed on the counter is a particular attribute away from home. He'll always be a goal threat.
"He's shown a really high level, and people want to get tight to him and double-press him. I'm sure he's only going to get better and better."
The 5 foot 9 winger has now been given the platform to impress at Champions League level, and there are plenty of indications he is capable of making the step up.
As per FBref, Barnes has out-performed his expected goals (xG) tally over the past year, averaging 0.43 per 90, having been predicted to average 0.3, and he has previously demonstrated he is capable of setting up his teammates, recording ten assists in the 2021/22 campaign.
