Football News

Newcastle talks over critical deal underway, with £16m transfer available on one condition

Newcastle are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen to sign Mitchel Bakker, though whether the £16m-rated left-back is signed depends on one condition, per a report.

The Magpies wasted little time in splashing the cash this month. Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood both arrived at St. James’ Park within a fortnight of the window opening. However, since then, Newcastle have struggled to make potential deals cross the line.

Nonetheless, they remain firmly in the mix to sign Lyon midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently revealed Lyon have identified a suitable replacement in Brest’s Romain Faivre with Newcastle’s talks for Guimaraes ‘ongoing and progressing’.

That deal could set the Magpies back around £30m, but they could also snap up left-back Mitchel Bakker for around half that amount.

Sky Sports report Newcastle are ‘in talks’ with Leverkusen regarding the 21-year-old defender.

Eddie Howe is stated to have been seeking an addition at left-back ‘throughout the January window’. Atalanta’s Robin Gosens had been targeted, but Serie A powerhouse Inter Milan have since taken that deal off the table.

Brighton’s Dan Burn has also been mentioned, but former PSG star Bakker presents an altogether sexier option than the pragmatic Burn.

Bakker gettable, but Leverkusen want insurance

Sky note a Bakker agreement can be reached if Newcastle stump up £16m. That should prove no problem for the cash-rich club, though there is a wrinkle in the story.

Leverkusen will not sanction a sale until they first find a suitable replacement. With Monday’s deadline fast approaching, time is against the German outfit to do just that.

As such, the article concludes Newcastle may have to wait until deadline day before finding out whether they’ve landed the Dutch defender.

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Newcastle plot eye-catching Bayern raid

Meanwhile, Newcastle are reportedly set to open talks over a deal to sign Thomas Muller – with Bayern Munich seemingly ready to let him leave this month.

SportBild, via the Daily Star, reckon his time at the Allianz Arena is finally set to come to an end. Now 32, Muller is very much in the autumn of his career, though has continued to impress this season in a new, deeper role.

Making his name as a forward, Muller has since dropped into the midfield. In his new position, he has registered an incredible 18 assists from 20 Bundesliga games this season. He’s also weighed in with six goals.

And with Newcastle reportedly making their interest clear, it’s claimed Bayern will finally now sell if a big bid emerges.

SportBild reports that PIF want Muller as their headline-stealing signing of the January window. And they are seemingly ready to offer Muller huge wages to accept the move to Tyneside.

EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle, Leeds among quintet of Prem clubs chasing Blackburn centre-back

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