Newcastle United and West Ham are keen to offer Bernardo da Silva a fresh start in the Premier League after a difficult season at Brighton and Hove Albion, according to Sky Sports.
It means another year, another transfer window that Newcastle will spend looking for a left-back.
With only a fortnight until the 2020/21 campaign kicks off, Steve Bruce has just one left-sided defender at his disposal. And the man in question, Paul Dummett, has yet to make a single appearance since January because of a long-standing injury.
Bernardo, then, is hardly the sort of signing to get the hairs standing up at St James’ Park.
But the 25-year-old Brazilian could be an intelligent, affordable and experienced addition, capable of offering depth not only on the left but also at centre-half.
“He is a strong and committed defender who can play on the left or right so his versatility gives us good options at the back,” Newcastle hero and former Brighton coach Chris Hughton said in 2018 when the Seagulls bought Bernardo from RB Leipzig in a £9 million deal (ESPN).
The former Bundesliga ace is also a target for a West Ham side who appear to have lost faith in the exciting yet erratic Arthur Masuaku.
There’s also a nagging feeling Aaron Cresswell’s best years are behind him.
Sky adds that Turkish champions Istanbul Basaksehir are keen to sign Bernardo on loan, although it remains to be seen whether Brighton would let a Premier League rival sign the versatile defender on a temporary deal.
West Ham’s record transfers
- Sebastien Haller
£45 million
- Felipe Anderson
£41.5 million
- Marko Arnautovic
£25 million
- Pablo Fornals
£24 million
- Issa Diop
£22 million
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