Newcastle: 'Unbelievable' £60m star a 'target' at St James' Park | OneFootball

Newcastle United could find it very difficult to complete a deal for Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Magpies are known to be in the market for at least two new attackers before the transfer window slams shut on September 1 but getting players through the door is proving to be a difficult task.

Newcastle have been unsuccessful in their attempts to sign the likes of Hugo Ekitike, Moussa Diaby and James Maddison so far in the current window, yet they are still attempting to improve their forward line.

“We are still looking for one stroke two players who can make a difference for us,” admitted manager Eddie Howe in a recent interview with Sky Sports.

“We’ll never stop until the window’s shut to try and add to the group. It’s no secret that we’ve been looking at a couple of attacking players that can make a difference for us.”

And it seems Newcastle’s next target is Barnes. The Daily Mail claim that they have made an inquiry for the 24-year-old after seeing a second bid rejected for his teammate Maddison.

It’s believed that Leicester value both Barnes and his compatriot at £60 million, though, meaning both deals will be extremely difficult for Howe’s charges to complete.

What has Jones said about Barnes?

Jones has informed GiveMeSport that Barnes is a legitimate target for Newcastle, although admitted that he is likely to be a ‘very expensive’ one.

He told GMS: “He is a target; he’s a very expensive target, though, and obviously Leicester right now are fighting off bids for their players left, right, and centre, so it’s becoming harder and harder, I think, to actually get this deal done.

“We’ve seen typically that Leicester set a valuation on a player, and they hold out for it, they don’t budge. So, Barnes they will try to price out of a move. They really can’t afford to lose him on the eve of the season.”

Would Barnes be a good signing?

Barnes has put in several impressive performances over the last couple of seasons despite a knee injury curtailing his 2020/21 campaign.

The one-cap England international has registered 24 goals and 18 assists in 83 appearances for Leicester over the last two terms, helping them to a fifth-placed finish and a maiden FA Cup crown.

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And with three years remaining on his current contract, it’s understandable why Leicester are demanding such a high price for the talented left-winger, who Jurgen Klopp dubbed “unbelievable”.

Barnes would be a valuable addition to Newcastle’s setup, though, and they must now weigh up whether to make a formal offer for him or move on to alternative targets.