Newcastle United have been linked with signing Harvey Barnes this summer, but might have to make him one of their most expensive additions ever if they are serious about bringing him to St James’ Park.
Barnes is one of two Leicester players on Newcastle’s radar heading into next season, with James Maddison also a target. There was speculation that Youri Tielemans could make a move, but that has now been ruled out due to his wage demands.
Barnes and Maddison continue to be linked, with the latter reportedly valued at £50million by the Foxes.
That is a huge amount of money, and a new report claims that Barnes could cost the Magpies a similar figure.
Newcastle must pay £50m for Harvey Barnes
According to the Guardian, the 25-year-old is valued at £50million by Leicester City. They state that West Ham and Aston Villa are also interested in signing the winger.
A fee of £50million would make him Newcastle’s second most expensive signing ever, sandwiched in between Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.
Mega money signings could be on the horizon, with Eddie Howe now looking for players who can help his side compete in the Champions League next season.
Barnes would certainly be a good addition, scoring 12 Premier League goals in a struggling Leicester side this season. However, there is surely no way the club will pay £50million for him, 12 months after he was valued at the same amount.
Luckily, they might be able to get him for less.
Relegation for Leicester could change things
That is because the Guardian add that Barnes’ asking price could drop if Leicester are relegated from the Premier League on Sunday.
That is a very real possibility, with Dean Smith’s side needing to beat West Ham on the final day and hope that Everton don’t win against Bournemouth.
Relegation looks increasingly likely for Leicester, who missed the chance to jump out of the relegation zone on Monday. They drew 0-0 at St James’ Park, but almost snatched a late winner. However, Timothy Castagne was denied by a fantastic Nick Pope save.
The result was celebrated wildly on Tyneside, as it confirmed Newcastle’s place in next season’s Champions League. However, the draw has put Leicester on the brink of dropping down to the Championship.
That would almost certainly lead to Barnes leaving the King Power Stadium – potentially to a team that is going to be competing in Europe’s elite competition.
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