Staveley holding talks to sign CL ace, Newcastle happy to pay £17m

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Newcastle United are looking to bring Odysseas Vlachodimos to the Premier League with Greek publication To10 reporting that Amanda Staveley has held talks with her Benfica counterparts about the talented shot-stopper. 

With Martin Dubravka out injured, opportunity knocked for both Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman in the first few months of the new campaign.

But, after two highly impressive seasons on loan at Swansea City, Woodman allowed a golden opportunity to slip through his fingers – quite literally – while gifting Cristiano Ronaldo a dream homecoming during Newcastle’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester United in September. 

Woodman has not been included in a Premier League squad since.

Darlow has come under fire too, making high-profile mistakes against the likes of Brentford and Wolves. It was no surprise, then, to see Dubravka handed an immediate return to the starting XI by new manager Eddie Howe once the experienced Slovakian returned to full fitness. 

Will Newcastle sign a new goalkeeper in January?

According to reports in Greece, Newcastle have now set their sights on a new shot-stopper, even if a commanding central defender and a dominant box-to-box midfielder are understood to be the club’s priority targets heading into the January transfer window. 

Amanda Staveley, who helped broker a deal that saw Mike Ashley hand over the reins to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, is understood to be leading the chase for Vlachodimos.  

To10 reports that Staveley has held talks with the Benfica bigwigs regarding their German-born 27-year-old. 

Vlachodimos would cost a minimum of £17 million but it is believed that such a fee would not put off the richest club in England. Mohamed Bin Salman, Newcastle’s new owner, could probably fish £17 million from out the back of his sofa if he looks hard enough. 

The report adds that Newcastle are also looking at Aguibou Camara, Olympiakos’ 20-year-old Guinea international.

Camara, who is also valued in the region of 20 million euros, could be the disciplined defensive midfielder the Premier League’s most porous side are crying out for.