Newcastle United
Premier League • England
Newcastle plot shock Barcelona raid after PSR issue sees Marc Guehi transfer doubts emerge
Newcastle have reportedly cooled their interest in Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi and could target Barcelona star Andreas Christensen as an alternative.
The Magpies have already seen four bids rejected for the England international, the latest of which amounted to £65m including add-ons.
Journalist Sami Mokbel claims that Newcastle are considering walking away from their pursuit of Guehi given the rising cost and implications related to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).
Crystal Palace are believed to be holding out for £75m for the 24-year-old and it’s unlikely Newcastle will go that high, so are now looking at other options.
This comes as a major boost to the Eagles, however, given their other first-choice centre-back Joachim Andersen has also been linked with an exit.
According to reports from Spain, Newcastle are considering a swoop for Christensen and a sizeable bid could tempt Barcelona into a sale.
The Danish international joined Barcelona after leaving Chelsea as a free agent in 2022 and has made 75 appearances to date for the Catalans.
Newcastle target €30m-rated Barcelona star
Christensen has plenty of experience in the Premier League and could be tempted by a move to St James’ Park if Eddie Howe promises him consistent minutes.
He was named on the bench for Barcelona’s LaLiga opener against Valencia on Saturday but came on as a substitute, suggesting Hansi Flick prefers Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi as defensive options.
Barcelona still won’t allow Christensen to leave on the cheap this summer, despite the fact they are looking to sell players to generate cash for their own business.
Reports suggest that a bid of ‘above €30m’ (£25.5m) would have to be considered by Barcelona and Newcastle are said to be considering an offer.
The fact that he can play as a defensive midfielder as well as a centre-back is an attribute that has caught the Magpies attention.
He could compete with the likes of Fabian Schar and Sven Botman for a spot at centre-back and could prove to be a valuable signing.
Guehi remains the preferred option, so it will be interesting to see if Newcastle do make one final attempt to land the Palace star before the window slams shut.
Newcastle paying £75m for Guehi seems unlikely at this stage, however.
Liverpool’s Joe Gomez is also player of interest to Newcastle amid their hunt for a new defender, so he is another player for Magpies fans to keep an eye on.
They had previously agreed a deal for Gomez that would’ve seen Anthony Gordon join the Reds but the transfer was shelved earlier in the window.
Liverpool value Gomez at approximately £40m, so he would be cheaper than Guehi but more expensive than Christensen.