Newcastle United have made a “very shrewd” signing by bringing in Harvey Barnes from Leicester City, says former Tottenham Hotspur and England manager Harry Redknapp.
Redknapp, writing for The Sun, thinks Eddie Howe is building something special at St James’ Park and has praised Newcastle for their capture of Harvey Barnes.
The Magpies signed the winger from Leicester in a £38m deal and have also added Sandro Tonali to their squad this summer.
On Newcastle and Barnes, Redknapp said in his column: “Eddie Howe has been very sensible in how he’s building something special at Newcastle and has made a couple of very shrewd signings in Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes.
“They will be stronger and could be even closer this season… which means that Chelsea and Liverpool have a real fight on their hands just to make the top four once again.”
Harvey Barnes is an upgrade on Allan Saint-Maximin
While Barnes has arrived at St James’ Park, Allan Saint-Maximin has left for Saudi Arabia.
The Frenchman is a dangerous winger with his skilful dribbling, but you cannot help but feel that Barnes is probably an upgrade.
Looking at their numbers, he is a much more productive wide man. For example, Barnes scored 13 Premier League goals last season, while Saint-Maximin found the back of the net on just one occasion.
The England international did feature in more games, but he was playing in a struggling Leicester side, which cannot be overlooked.
Saint-Maximin is an entertainer and certainly does have something to offer. He would have been a useful player to have around this season, especially with Newcastle now in the Champions League and needing more squad depth.
However, with the acquisition of Barnes, if he can replicate the form he showed at Leicester, Saint-Maximin’s exit should not really be a blow.
Before the transfer window opened, Newcastle already had a good squad. Now with the additions of Barnes and Tonali, it looks even better and should help them compete for a top-four spot again.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
