Newcastle double down with Leicester transfer looking likelier than ever

Hamza Choudhury, Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester, May 2021

Newcastle are going back in for a Leicester midfielder they came within a whisker of signing in January, but will face competition from Southampton, per a report.

The January transfer window saw Newcastle produce one of the best pieces of business of the winter. The Magpies landed Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock on loan, with the Gunner going on to equal a stat held by Alan Shearer.

Willock was a deadline day signing, but things could have been very different had Newcastle landed their initial midfield target.

Steve Bruce was hot on the idea of landing Leicester City star Hamza Choudhury. The 23-year-old came close to heading north, but a deal ultimately failed to materialise.

That opened the door for Willock’s deal, but per Football Insider, Bruce has reignited his interest in Choudhury.

They report that Bruce has ‘already spoken’ to the Foxes midfielder about a summer switch. Choudhury is deemed one of his ‘top targets’, though Southampton are also in the mix.

The Saints interest stems from the uncertainty surrounding the future of James Ward-Prowse.

Aston Villa beat Arsenal to Emi Buendia’s signature, but Dean Smith’s side are not content to rest there. A report last week detailed the club’s interest in bringing the dead-ball specialist to Villa Park. Should a move occur, Choudhury would represent a viable replacement in the engine room.

June 8 Transfer Chatter - Arsenal to offer Guendouzi new deal, Wolves ready to sell Neves and Spurs to bring in Paratici

June 8 Transfer Chatter - Arsenal to offer Guendouzi new deal, Wolves ready to sell Neves and Spurs to bring in Paratici

Arsenal are preparing to offer Matteo Guendouzi new deal, Wolves are ready to sell Ruben Neves and Tottenham are looking to bring in Fabio Paratici as new sporting director.

Choudhury’s time at Leicester last season was an altogether frustrating one. Wilfred Ndidi is a veritable force in midfield and Youri Tielemans has taken his game to new heights. As a result, Choudhury had to settle for a paltry 313 minutes of league action.

Additionally, the Foxes have been rumoured to be nearing a deal for Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare. His arrival would all but guarantee Choudhury’s first-team hopes are over.

As such, an exit in the search of regular gametime would seem to make sense. The Football Insider report touts an £18m fee as being required to seal a deal.

Leicester hoping to succeed where Liverpool failed

Meanwhile, Reports claim Leicester City are eager to get a deal over the line for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard to avoid a bidding war with other Premier League clubs.

The Foxes have long been linked with the 23-year-old who has taken his game to the next level in Scotland. A connection already exists after Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers coached the former France Under-21 ace for 18 months while he was in charge at Celtic Park.

Odsonne.Edouard.2021.TEAMtalk21

Liverpool and West Ham have previously been credited with interest. However, The Guardian claim it is the East Midlanders who are “pushing” to get the player on board as soon as possible.

The Reds interest in Edouard appeared real enough. And it was suggested at the end of May that Jurgen Klopp spoke to the youngster to try and seal the del.

However, the French Guiana-born starlet was concerned that he would not see much action at Anfield. And he clearly had a point, with Klopp having Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Diogo Jota at his disposal.

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