A round-up of Wednesday’s unusually sparse Newcastle United transfer news.
The agent of Arsenal striker Lucas Perez has spoken about his client’s future amid reported interest from Newcastle United.
In quotes published by The Chronicle, Rodrigo Fernandez Lovelle confirmed his client wants to leave The Emirates, but described Arsenal’s £13.4 million asking price as ‘disproportionate’ and claimed he has also had interest from French, Turkish, German and other English sides.
“Lucas Perez is calm, he has to train and worry about preparing for the season,” he said. “He wants to play, he has said he wants to leave, but we also know that he has a three-year contract with a club that he signed 11 months ago. At least we already have that asking price.
“We consider it high and disproportionate because in the end he is a player who cost Arsenal €21 million and now comes after a year in which he has not played much and with a repayment of €5m per year to be distributed over four years.
“It’s important to be clear – it’s impossible that Lucas Perez can go to Deportivo today. To this day the best offer is from Deportivo. There is a lot of interest in the French league, the Turkish league, the Premier League, the Bundesliga.”
But one attacking player Newcastle won’t be getting their hands on any time soon is Rennes’ Adama Diakhaby, who signed a five-year deal with Monaco on Wednesday afternoon.
The Magpies were said to be readying an offer for the France Under-21 international in June (L’Equipe), after Rafa Benitez found himself ‘particularly seduced’ by Diakhaby’s profile.
One striker heading out of St James’ Park is Ivan Toney, whose season-long loan move to Wigan Athletic was confirmed earlier this evening.
And he may not be the only young Magpie to leave on a temporary basis before the close of the transfer window, with goalkeeper Freddie Woodman telling The Chronicle: “I am at that stage of my career where I have got to play games in order to keep improving like I did at Kilmarnock.
“Whatever happens this season ideally I want to be playing football matches. It’s up to the manager and up to the club what they think is best for my development.”
And in non-transfer-related news, Newcastle beat Wolfsburg 3-1 in a friendly this afternoon and new signing Mikel Merino went and did this…
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