Newcastle United appear set to make Harvey Barnes their second senior signing of the summer, much to the anger of one of the Magpies’ Premier League rivals.
It looks like Newcastle are going to follow up Sandro Tonali’s arrival with a deal for Barnes, who is keen to join Eddie Howe’s side ahead of the new season.
The Magpies are confident about a deal, and already have ambitions of integrating the 25-year-old into the group during the upcoming trip to America.
Howe has been keen to add a new winger to his squad, and it looks like it is going to be Barnes. He is an exciting signing, having impressed in the Premier League over the past few years. Even in a poor Leicester team last season, he still managed to score 13 goals. Only Callum Wilson bettered that tally at Newcastle.
Barnes is a proven Premier League talent, and a player who various other top flight clubs were looking to sign. One of those was West Ham, who were previously considered the favourites to land the England international.
That has now changed, and they are not happy.
West Ham not happy as they prepare to miss out on Harvey Barnes
According to the Sun, West Ham are angry with Arsenal over the delay of the Declan Rice deal. The 24-year-old is set to sign for the Gunners for £105million, but the move has still not been finalised.
The Hammers are obviously relying on that cash injection to improve their squad, and the report states that they are now not happy with Arsenal as it is forcing them to miss out on key targets.
One of which is Barnes, who did look likely to join West Ham at the start of June, back when the Rice deal seemed like it was ready to be finalised.
But it has dragged on and on, and Rice is still not officially a Gunner. That is obviously frustrating for West Ham, and it has allowed Newcastle to swoop in.
So when Barnes starts to fly in a Toon shirt, maybe we should reserve a special thank you for Arsenal and their ponderous approach for Declan Rice.
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