Chelsea are now working on their attempts to keep player Newcastle want to sign

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Newcastle United have been on the lookout for promising young talent during the PIF era thus far.

While many of the signings made under PIF’s watch have been stars ready for the first-team, there has been a clear focus on youth at Newcastle.

Indeed, all of Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali, Sven Botman and Anthony Gordon arrived with much of their career ahead of them. Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall even younger than them.

Though there have been examples of more experienced players arriving, the focus has largely been on a younger profile of signing.

With that in mind, it was hardly surprising to see Newcastle linked with a move Chelsea’s Josh Acheampong.

The 18-year-old is a highly-rated right-back also reportedly on Real Madrid’s radar and there may have been hope about landing him, given a contract stand-off at Stamford Bridge.

All of that could have now changed, however.

Chelsea growing confident about keeping Josh Acheampong

According to Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport on social media platform X, all parties involved with both the Blues and the player are working towards extending his contract in west London, which is set to expire in 18 months.

It is said, however, that nothing is agreed yet.

Newcastle will have a right-back problem soon

On the face of it, Newcastle wouldn’t appear to need a new right-back. Livramento has plenty of his career ahead of him and both Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth offer further options.

However, Trippier is constantly linked with a move away, while Eddie Howe has suggested Krafth could move into a more central role going forward. Harrison Ashby, meanwhile, has not been given much of a chance since arriving in 2023.

Though battling Chelsea for the services of a young player cannot be easy on the wages front, Newcastle may regret not landing Acheampong if he stays with the Blues.