Newcastle United could end up selling Isaac Hayden to Southampton – and that may push Watford’s Will Hughes closer to Aston Villa.
The Magpies don’t have a huge budget to work with this summer, and that may mean swap and part-exchange deals become attractive to Newcastle.
The Daily Mail reported earlier this week that Newcastle could offload Isaac Hayden to Southampton with Saints midfielder Mario Lemina potentially heading in the opposite direction.
The Sun noted last week that Watford also want Hayden, and another swap was suggested with the Magpies keen to sign Will Hughes as part of the deal.
Yet with Hayden now potentially heading to Southampton instead, Hughes to Newcastle could be off the table – especially if the Magpies land Lemina instead anyway.
That’s potentially great news for Aston Villa, who had also registered their interest in signing Hughes according to a report from the Watford Observer.
Newcastle would potentially be out of the picture with no Hayden to offer, pushing Hughes closer and closer to Villa Park.
Dean Smith wants more midfield depth, and the tireless Hughes could be a relatively low-cost addition, with the Watford Observer suggesting a fee of around £12million.
Once branded ‘fantastic’ by Gareth Southgate, Hughes is out of contract in a year and refusing to sign a new five-year deal according to The Athletic.
Hughes also shares an agent with Villa striker Ollie Watkins, which could make a move all the more likely to happen.
If Villa want Hughes, then everything may well be falling into place for them to bring him in ahead of the new season.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
