Newcastle United have been told how much they will need to pay to secure the services of Leicester City’s Harvey Barnes this summer, according to reports.
What’s the latest on Newcastle’s interest in Harvey Barnes?
According to reports, Newcastle are one of several Premier League clubs interested in the 25-year-old, with Tottenham Hotspur also in the race.
Now, Football Insider have revealed that Leicester will demand £50m from the Magpies to land their summer transfer target.
The report suggests that the Foxes will demand a large sum for the English winger even if relegation to the Championship weakens their bargaining position.
Why do Newcastle want Harvey Barnes?
The £100k-per-week man has been a shining light in an otherwise disastrous season for Leicester, who sit 19th in the Premier League with then games to go.
This wretched form led to the sacking of Brendan Rodgers and the appointment of former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith until the end of the season.
Smith will be relying on Barnes, alongside fellow Englishman James Maddison, to provide the creative spark to drag his side to safety in the final weeks of the season.
The Burnley-born star is Leicester’s top scorer this season with ten goals, and ranks highly in several other key attacking metrics which show how reliant his team are on him to be a creative outlet – and made all the more impressive considering the struggling team he is performing in.
Barnes leads the Foxes’ squad for progressive carries (85), has the joint most passes into the penalty area (26) and has more than double the progressive passes received than any of his teammates (228) – as per FBref.
Leicester captain Johnny Evans has previously recognised the danger of Barnes’ direct running style and electric pace saying: “he’s got fantastic speed and power when he’s breaking” and “he’s been a real threat for us” (via Leicestershire Live).
The one-cap England international still has his best years ahead of him and would appear to represent a far more reliable presence on the left-wing than January signing Anthony Gordon who has struggled to make an impact since his £45m move from Everton.
Although £50m does not constitute a bargain, in today’s market it certainly is not astronomical either – especially considering the fee paid for Gordon.
As Newcastle look to strengthen their squad ahead of what looks increasingly like Champions League football next season, Barnes would provide a high-quality attacking option with proven Premier League output over a number of seasons.