Newcastle United are reportedly leading Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Harvey Barnes.
According to The Guardian, Newcastle United are leading the chase to sign Leicester City’s attacking winger Harvey Barnes ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa in the ongoing summer transfer window. But any move could hinge on the future of maverick winger Allan Saint-Maximin.
The report adds that Eddie Howe is keen on bringing in another left-winger this summer. But having already added Sandro Tonali to his squad in a £52 million deal from AC Milan, a lot of the club’s transfer budget for this window has already been spent up, meaning the negotiations for Barnes will depend on any outgoings.
It is noted that Saint-Maximin, who operates in the same position as the English attacker, would need to be sold to create space and fund a move for another left-sided attacker, with several Saudi Pro League sides, Marseille and clubs in Italy showing an interest in the Frenchman. Crystal Palace have also shown interest in him.
A Leicester City academy graduate, Barnes has been a key player for the Foxes ever since making his breakthrough into the first-team squad in 2018. He played a significant role in the team earning Europa League qualification as well as a historic FA Cup triumph in 2021, making him a fan favourite at the King Power Stadium.
There is no doubting Barnes’s quality. He is one of the most underrated Premier League wingers, despite hitting double digits for goals and assists in recent seasons. The 25-year-old was a shining light in the Leicester team despite them getting relegated, and he managed to score 13 goals in the Premier League last season.
The England international also has two years remaining on his current contract, and the Foxes are currently demanding a fee of around £50 million for Barnes. But their asking price is expected to drop, with the player keen to secure a new challenge after suffering relegation to the Championship.
Aside from Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur have also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old left-winger. Spurs, for one, have already beaten the Magpies to land one of Leicester’s most-prized assets in Maddison. But they are now likely to pull out of the race to sign Barnes following their signing of tricky winger Manor Solomon on a free transfer this summer.
That leaves the door open for Newcastle United and Aston Villa. Having been linked with the likes of Marco Asensio and Nico Williams, Villa are scouring the market for a high-quality wide attacking option to provide competition to existing players.
Barnes is a proven Premier League player who has a lot of experience competing at a high level. Aston Villa could also offer the winger the chance to remain in the Midlands. However, Newcastle are able to offer Champions League football, while Villa will only be competing in the Europa Conference League, which puts the Magpies in the box seat at the moment. Whether they drive down the Foxes’ asking price remains to be seen.
