Newcastle United

Newcastle United

Premier League • England

Newcastle race in to snatch Man City target as personal terms agreed with exciting star

Robin Gosens Atalanta

Newcastle United have agreed personal terms with Manchester City target Robin Gosens, according to a report.

Gosens is an exciting Germany international who currently represents Atalanta in Serie A. He operates either as a left wing-back or left midfielder.

The 27-year-old had a brilliant season in 2020-21, bagging 11 goals and six assists in 32 league appearances. He also made seven Champions League outings, scoring once, before Atalanta’s round of 16 defeat to Real Madrid.

Gosens took that form into Euro 2020 and put in an exceptional performance in the 4-2 win over Portugal, notching a goal and two assists.

City have apparently been battling Europe’s elite clubs for his signature. But Newcastle are now leading the transfer race.

Goal, who cite Sky Italia, claim the Magpies are advancing in their talks to sign Gosens. They have sorted out a three-and-a-half-year deal with the wide man, which will see him earn €3.5million (£2.9m) per season.

Gosens will see his wages triple if he swaps Atalanta for Eddie Howe’s side. However, there are still two potential stumbling blocks in Newcastle’s path.

Firstly, they will need to meet the player’s asking price. He is valued at £31.5m by transfermarkt, although the Magpies should be able to match that fee thanks to their big-money takeover.

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The second is Gosens’ fitness. He has been out since October with a hamstring injury, forcing him to miss 14 Serie A matches so far.

That is obviously a concern for the Tyneside club. They are waiting for Gosens to recover before submitting an official offer to Atalanta. Should his rehabilitation take longer than planned, then the January move will have to be pushed back to the summer.

Gosens has made 157 appearances for Atalanta since joining from Dutch club Heracles Almelo in 2017. He has helped the Italian outfit to establish themselves as top-four regulars.

Chris Wood is ‘desperate’ Newcastle signing – pundit

Meanwhile, Newcastle have been told that their capture of Chris Wood smacks of desperation.

Wood left Burnley to join the Magpies on Thursday after his £25m release clause had been matched. Newcastle discovered the clause through their signing of Kieran Trippier, as the pair have the same agent.

But former Leeds defender Danny Mills thinks it demonstrates a lack of ambition.

“I think Wood is a desperate signing, that’s the only way I can see it,” he told Football Insider. “They’ve looked at it and thought ‘We have to get some goals from somewhere, how are we going to do that?’

“Playing expansive football is not going to work, they’re going to get beaten. It might be a change of tack, get the ball wide and into the box for Wood.”

READ MORE: Family connection gives Newcastle edge in three-way battle for £15m striker