‘Champions League level’ player who Dan Ashworth wanted at Newcastle will now cost more than £50m

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Dan Ashworth is on his way out of Newcastle United, but it is unclear if he will be taking his transfer targets with him.

The Magpies are waving goodbye to their sporting director, with Dan Ashworth currently on gardening leave ahead of a move to Manchester United. The two parties are currently looking to agree compensation, and that will determine when Ashworth is allowed to start his new job at Old Trafford.

For Newcastle, not a lot will change. Their transfer plans seemingly remain the same, with the club identifying three key positions they would like to strengthen in when the summer transfer window opens.

One of those is centre-back, and it was recently claimed that Ashworth was keen for Newcastle to show an interest in Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.

It will be interesting to see if the Magpies pursue the 23-year-old despite Ashworth’s departure, or if they go down a different avenue.

But if they do go for Guehi, they will seemingly need to dig deep into their pockets.

How much Marc Guehi will cost this summer

That is because, according to the Telegraph, Marc Guehi is going to cost more than £50million this summer.

They state that he is likely to leave Crystal Palace, who anticipate Guehi will become their most lucrative departure yet. That honour currently belongs to Aaron Wan Bissaka, who cost Manchester United £50million in 2019.

The Telegraph mention various Premier League clubs who will be targeting the England international, such as Liverpool. They also state that Man United could show an interest depending on Ashworth, who obviously wanted to bring him to St James’ Park. However, there is no mention of a post-Ashworth Newcastle making a move.

But with Howe keen to bring in a centre-back, you have to imagine Newcastle will at least consider Guehi. He is a fantastic defender, and someone who has been described as ‘Champions League level’.

That will certainly appeal to Toon officials, but it is the price tag that might be the issue. A deal of more than £50million would make him the most expensive defender in Newcastle’s history. That honour currently belongs to Sven Botman, who cost £35million in 2022.