Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - May 4, 2025 Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes looks on Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR 'LIVE' SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 120 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE FOR FURTHER DETAILS..
Newcastle United are yet to make a first team signing in the summer transfer window, despite a huge expectation on them to be active in the market following their Champions League qualification.
The Magpies made dreams come true on Tyneside with their Carabao Cup victory back in March, and put the cherry on top of one of their most successful campaigns to date with another shot in the prestigious European competition too.
Eddie Howe will be delighted with how the season ended and will feel vindicated for the hard work that his squad has put into their achievements, despite not reinvesting in the first team for 18 months due to PSR restrictions.
It has been widely reported that the club is keen to make crucial signings this summer, with the centre-back and right winger roles considered the highest priority in the remaining months of the transfer window.
Nottingham Forest star Anthony Elanga has been a long-term target for the Tyneside giants, with a previous £50m Deadline Day bid being rejected last year.
Now it has been reported that Newcastle are stepping up their pursuit of Elanga and are even willing to offer a swap deal for one of their own forwards to get the deal over the line.
TEAMtalk has reported that Harvey Barnes could be used as a bargaining chip to provide Forest with a replacement for Elanga, while Aston Villa also have a strong interest in the Newcastle winger too.
The publication claims that the North East outfit are hoping that offering up Barnes will significantly reduce the asking price for the Swedish winger and help them come to an agreement that has mutual benefit.
Should Newcastle sell Harvey Barnes?
There is no doubt that Elanga would be an exciting player for Newcastle, his pace and talent has made him one of the most talked about Premier League wingers this season.
Nottingham Forest were unfortunate to miss out on Champions League football after an outstanding campaign under Nuno Espirito Santo, which saw them finish seventh with Conference League football in the end.
Over 43 appearances this season, the Sweden international scored six goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions for the Tricky Trees, but it is his experience and relationship with star striker Alexander Isak that makes him a unique acquisition for Newcastle.
Elanga and Isak have already played together 12 times for Sweden so far, regularly linking up on international duty.
Their strong connection, both on and off the pitch, could prove invaluable to Newcastle’s hopes of not only keeping Isak at the club long-term but also giving him a reliable partner on the right flank.
In terms of Barnes’ future, it has been a battle for most of his time on Tyneside to become part of the starting eleven but hasn’t deterred him from providing match-winning goals and a fantastic presence in the forward line.
However, given the fact that the former Leicester star – hailed “incredible” by Micah Richards – plays his best football on the left wing with competition from Anthony Gordon for the role, it could be a quick solution to Howe’s selection headache next season.
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