Newcastle United eye moves for Manchester City and Chelsea stars after hitting Tino Livramento stalemate: Reports
Newcastle United could turn their attention towards Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips and Chelsea's Conor Gallagher after hitting a snag in their pursuit of Tino Livramento, according to The Daily Telegraph.
The Magpies are determined to make major additions to their ranks this summer after qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. They have already agreed to sign Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali from Serie A giants AC Milan for £52 million plus add-ons.
It emerged last week that Newcastle are working on a deal to sign Southampton right-back Livaramento. The defender is open to moving to St. James' Park after the Saints dropped down to the Championship. However, the clubs have struggled to reach an agreement over a fee.
The Tyneside-based club have tabled a £21 million offer for Livramento after having their initial bid rejected, according to the aforementioned source. However, Southampton are holding out for a sum in excess of £30 million. The Magpies, for their part, are not prepared to pay that much and are thus threatening to walk away from the deal.
Newcastle are, meanwhile, keen to sign another midfielder. They have seen targets James Maddison and Dominik Szoboszlai join Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool respectively in quick succession. Despite the twin setback, Manchester City's Phillips and Chelsea's Gallagher have emerged as options for the St. James' Park outfit.
Eddie Howe's side are keeping tabs on Phillips' situation at City, as per the report. The midfielder started just four games across competitions for Pep Guardiola's side in the 2022-23 season after joining them for £45 million from Leeds United. Although the Englishman is keen to stay at the Etihad, his stance could change if he is given no guarantees over his playing time.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are long-term admirers of Gallagher, having enquired about him in the last two transfer windows. However, new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to give the Englishman a chance to prove himself. The Magpies could thus have to wait until later in the window to see if the midfielder is available.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle want Gabri Veiga
Gabri Veiga, 21, had a breakthrough season with Celta Vigo last season, bagging 11 goals and four assists from 36 La Liga games. He netted a brace in the team's 2-1 home win against Barcelona on the final day of the campaign, helping his employers avoid relegation. The midfielder, who has a £35 million release clause, is now expected to leave the club.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle are among the clubs interested in Veiga. The Premier League clubs have held talks with the Spain U21 international's agent, according to 90min. The midfielder is also of interest to La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Celta Vigo are adamant that they will not sell Veiga unless his release clause is activated. Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle are reportedly prepared to pay the clause or pay more if they are allowed to structure the deal. It thus remains to be seen who will win the race to sign the youngster.