Newcastle and West Ham played out an enthralling 2-2 draw at the London Stadium, but were denied all three points by Mohammed Kudus’ late strike.
Eddie Howe described his team’s performance as a “slight hangover from midweek” following their 4-1 win over PSG. However, Howe’s side will take heart from the fact that they are now unbeaten in their past eight excursions to the capital, a new record in league history for The Magpies.
The international break comes at a time when the squad is severely depleted due to injuries, and players like Sven Botman, Joelinton, and Joe Willock will all be hoping to get closer to match fitness.
The approaching winter window provides an important opportunity for Howe to add more talent to his team as they strive to compete on all fronts in 2024. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the most recent transfer stories involving St James’ Park.
Newcastle is preparing a risky play for the Euro 2020 victor.
Early in the summer, news of Newcastle United’s pursuit of Italian international Nicolo Barella dominated the headlines. According to Sky Sports, Eddie Howe’s team was in negotiations with Inter Milan over a £50 million transfer.
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A transfer of this nature did not occur, and Sandro Tonali, a fellow Italian midfielder who had just arrived from AC Milan, was swiftly acquired by the Toon. However, according to rumors from the Spanish publication Fichajes, Newcastle will make more attempts to recruit Barella before the summer of 2019. The publication also claims that the club views Barella as “the perfect complement” for Bruno Guimaraes and Tonali in the starting lineup.
Newcastle has a history of chasing transfer targets over a 12-month period, as evidenced by the signings of Sven Botman, Harvey Barnes, and Anthony Gordon in previous transfer windows. However, according to sources from Newcastle World, Inter is eager to hold onto their star midfielder and is frantically trying to extend his current contract.
Newcastle United Pursuit Thwarted as EFL Club Secures Long-Term Contract with Target
Argentina midfielder Carlos Alcaraz has been a long-term midfield target for Howe since last summer. Alcaraz joined Southampton from Racing Club in January for an undisclosed price, which included a 15% sell-on clause.
Despite being on the losing side, the 20-year-old shone in both of his side’s Carabao Cup semi-final matches against Newcastle. He was also a bright spot for the Saints in the last six months, despite their relegation to the Championship, and was branded an up-and-coming star who may help Newcastle.
Newcastle, AC Milan, and Benfica all made enquiries for the player over the summer but were turned down because to Russell Martin’s asking price of £30 million. The Toon Army will face additional challenges in signing the player in future window since he has signed an extension to his current Saints contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2028.
“I’ve grown very fond of the people of Southampton because, from the day I arrived, they demonstrated that they wanted me here,” Alcaraz told Hampshire Live. I’m overjoyed because they show me that they care about me and that I’m valuable to the squad, which makes me want to play even more.”
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