Newcastle tipped to return after having £25m bid for Sporting Lisbon ace rejected
Newcastle have had a €30million (£25m) bid for a Sporting Lisbon star rejected, according to one journalist.
It has been an eventful first transfer window for the Magpies following their major takeover in October. They were expected to make a few statement signings and have done just that.
Kieran Trippier arrived from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid in a £12m deal, before being followed by 30-year-old striker Chris Wood.
Newcastle captured the New Zealand international from Burnley after matching his £25m release clause. The transfer has the added benefit of weakening a relegation rival.
Eddie Howe clearly wants more additions to his squad – he said as much during his press conference on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is likely to join from Lyon in the coming days. Newcastle have agreed to pay £40m to land him.
The Magpies are also in the hunt for a new centre-back, although that position has been tough to improve.
Newcastle target Dan Burn, plus Sporting ace
Pursuits of Sven Botman and Diego Carlos have failed, forcing them to target Dan Burn of Brighton.
He is not the only central defender on Newcastle’s radar. According to Sport Witness, who cite Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda, the St James’ Park club have made a £25m offer for Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio.
He is just 20 years old but is already an important part of the Sporting first team, having made 14 league appearances this term.
The Portuguese club have a history of producing top players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Nuno Mendes and Daniel Podence. Inacio is aiming to follow in their footsteps.
Unfortunately for Newcastle, their opening offer has been pushed back by Sporting. They will now monitor Inacio’s progress before returning for him in the summer transfer window.
Inacio has picked up two caps for Portugal U21s so far. His Sporting contract runs until June 2025, putting the reigning Primeira Liga champions in a relatively strong position.
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Allan Saint-Maximin talks relegation fears
Meanwhile, Magpies attacker Allan Saint-Maximin has delivered a worrying statement amid the club’s relegation fears.
Newcastle have won just twice in 21 league matches this term, putting them in 18th spot. They are just one point behind 17th-placed Norwich and have a game in hand on the Canaries.
However, the threat of relegation is certainly real and would badly impact the new owners’ long-term plans.
Saint-Maximin has been very impressive since joining the club in 2019 and now suggests he would not stick around in the second tier.
“I really, really love the club and I really love the supporters for everything they give to me. But you always have to make a choice about your dream and what you want to achieve,” he told The Times.
“If I can achieve my dream and my goal in Newcastle, I will stay for sure, but if I cannot, you need to think too about yourself, so we will see after this season what is to happen.”
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