Silly season has started already.
With Newcastle United closing in on Champions League qualification, the club are being linked with all manner of big names in the transfer market.
While the PIF era has so far not been about signing superstars, entry back onto Europe’s top table would surely only increase the links with players of such standing.
Take Joao Felix for example.
One of the most expensive players of all time is surely facing an uncertain future at Atletico Madrid. The Portugal international’s £113m move to the Spanish capital has not worked out as planned, with Felix having been loaned to Chelsea in January.
More recently, he’s been linked with a move to St James’ Park.
Joao Felix appears to deny Newcastle rumours
Still, the 23-year-old appears to have other ideas.
Responding to a post on Instagram relaying rumours from Marca suggesting Newcastle were the only club willing to pay £86.9m for him this summer accompanied by a photo of him clad in black and white, Felix hit out.
“Just a bunch of know-it-alls” he wrote (via Fabrizio Romano).
Felix to Newcastle looks a non-story
The idea of signing Felix this summer looks remote at best.
The Daily Mail have already claimed the club are not willing to totally rip up their wage structure just yet and Felix is said to be on a weekly sum of around £270k-per-week.
Having hardly lit the Premier League alight since moving to England, quite why Newcastle would be so willing to pay such a huge amount is unclear at best.
This, however, is simply nature of transfer silly season.
Buckle up, it’s going to be a long summer.
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