Newcastle United are reportedly going to make a new bid for Joao Pedro.
That’s according to the Northern Echo, who state that the Magpies will improve their offer for the Watford youngster. They add that Newcastle are ‘determined’ to sign him.
Dan Ashworth’s first bid was rejected on Monday. He offered £20million plus £3million in add-ons, but the Hornets said no.
They do not want to sell the 20-year-old, and manager Rob Edwards stated on Tuesday night that he thinks Pedro should stay at Vicarage Road.
Pedro played in Watford’s 1-1 draw with Birmingham City last night, and could have played ‘slightly better’ according to Edwards. However, he did hail the attacker’s commitment and believed some of his contributions were ‘first class‘.
However, he is reportedly interested in a move to Newcastle, and Watford’s resolve could be tested with a second bid.
How much Newcastle are going to bid for Pedro
The Northern Echo state that Newcastle’s second bid will be worth £28million in total. That includes £25million upfront, then the same £3million worth of add-ons that were included in the opening bid.
That’s an improvement on the first offer, but still shy of Watford want. They reportedly value Pedro at £30million. However, our imminent bid is very close to that figure.
When this bid goes in, it will give Watford a serious decision to make. Their stance may depend on how attainable the add-ons are.
If the add-ons are something like ‘£1million when Newcastle win the league’ and ‘£2million when Pedro wins the Ballon d’Or’ then forget it. But if they’re more reasonable like ‘£2million after 30 league appearances’ and ‘£1million after he scores 10 goals’ then we might have a better chance.
However, it is still short of the exact figure Watford want. Will they stand by their valuation and demand Newcastle increase their offer further? Or will they accept what is on the table and take the money to reinvest into their squad?
Only time will tell, but this improved offer is a signal of Newcastle’s intent. We still won’t pay over the odds, and are looking to get the best price possible. But an increased offer clearly shows that Dan Ashworth is keen to get him to St James’ Park.
Pedro would certainly be a welcome arrival, so let’s hope that Watford say yes.
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