Newcastle United are reportedly edging closer to agreeing a deal to sign Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes, who has already said “yes” to Tyneside as a potential destination.
That is according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who says negotiations between Newcastle United and Leicester City for Harvey Barnes are expected to “advance” in the coming days as they attempt to iron out the terms of the deal.
The 25-year-old has agreed to join St. James’ Park, and the two clubs must now agree on the fee and structure of payments. It is anticipated that an agreement may be struck in the next few days, with this week being considered critical for completing the move.
This all comes after Daily Telegraph reported on Friday night that a deal in the region of £35 million is set to be agreed for Barnes, while Daily Mail suggests Newcastle’s opening bid will be worth around £25 million.
Leicester City had set a valuation closer to the £60 million mark last summer. But that price tag now looks unrealistic for the Foxes, who have already sold James Maddison for a cut-price £40 million deal to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this summer.
Newcastle are planning to advance on Harvey Barnes deal next week. Talks are already underway but negotiations will continue in the next days to get it done. ⚪️⚫️
Barnes already accepted Newcastle as destination, deal depends on clubs and #NUFC outgoings. pic.twitter.com/5OqhXFD4pQ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 9, 2023
The two-capped England international only had one year left on his current contract before leaving for Tottenham. But Barnes still has two years left on his contract, which gives the Foxes more leverage in their negotiations with prospective clubs this summer.
However, with Barnes keen to make a move back to the Premier League, given he is a top-flight calibre player, it looks doubtful they will be able to negotiate a deal worth over £40 million, which looks like a more realistic valuation after selling Maddison for similar sort of money.
Newcastle want another wide player who can provide goals and assists, and there are not too many better out there than Barnes right now. Since being promoted to the Foxes’ first-team back in 2018, Barnes has directly contributed to 77 goals in 187 games in all competitions.
The Englishman has naturally progressed over the past few seasons, following up six goals and 10 assists in the Premier League two seasons ago with 13 goals and an assist last season, which shows he could certainly make the step up to the higher level with the Magpies.
The 25-year-old is also reportedly keen to work with Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who has overseen Champions League qualification with the club for next season and believes Barnes would be a natural fit for his style of play.
Interestingly, Romano adds that a deal may also be contingent on outgoings, implying Newcastle United are trying to lighten up their wage bill and free up some space in the bloated squad to make room for Barnes’s arrival.
The likes of Ryan Fraser, Isaac Hayden, Jamal Lewis, Karl Darlow, Javier Manquillo, and Jeff Hendrick have all been told to find new homes by the club, while the Magpies are also said to be ready to listen to hefty bids for star winger Allan Saint-Maximin.
