Before the next transfer window opens, Newcastle United has already decided on two January targets.
In January, Paul Mitchell, the sporting director, will be more involved following a mainly disappointing summer window. And he’ll probably have to go back and look into the Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi’s case.
Mitchell was involved in conversations with Palace throughout the last month of the transfer season but was unable to reach a deal with the South London club, who were seeking sums in excess of £70million for the England international.
The Gazette is aware that Newcastle made its last formal offer for Guehi, which was reportedly made for £55 million (according to Mail Online), weeks before the deadline. Despite this, the club continued to negotiate until the end of August, taking into account a number of add-ons.
However, Palace and chairman Steve Parish decided to hang onto the 24-year-old, who has less than two years left on his contract, rejecting Newcastle’s offer. There appears to have been considerable conflict among the Palace leadership as a result of the decision to decline Newcastle’s attractive offer for Guehi, according to sources.
Newcastle, sensing the tension and the possibility of a reduced cost, will try to break Palace’s resolve in January. The defender will then have less than 18 months left on his Selhurst Park contract, which may be his last opportunity to demand a high price from Palace if a new deal cannot be reached.
Newcastle has reportedly targeted 17-year-old attacker Vakhtang Salia of Dinamo Tbilisi as a January acquisition in addition to Guehi. The Magpies intend to finalise the agreement during the upcoming transfer season; nevertheless, Salia is anticipated to stay at Dinamo Tbilisi until July 2025, when he will join Newcastle.
Salia, a 17-year-old striker or left-winger, has already made 30 first-team appearances for the Georgian squad. With four goals and two assists under his belt, he has drawn comparisons to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a former Dinamo Tbilisi youth prospect and star for Napoli.
Although he is not Newcastle’s preferred transfer, he may wind up being a key player in the future as the team struggles to comply with Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
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