United happy to let West Ham buy target Paqueta
NO PLANS TO
PUT RIVAL BID IN FOR £50M STAR
AS OTHER POSITIONS PRIORITISED
NEWCASTLE United have opted against making an approach for Lyon’s Lucas Paqueta, freeing the way for West Ham to land the Brazil international.
The playmaker, who turned 25 yesterday, is a close friend of Magpies’ star Bruno Guimaraes and has been heavily linked with a move to Tyneside all summer.
However, it now appears United’s Premier League rivals West Ham have agreed a deal worth up to £50million for the star.
Even from the opening days of the window, boss Eddie Howe had his eye on other stars and significantly other positions.
Newcastle were well aware of his friendship with Guimaraes – Paqueta visited his compatriot on Tyneside and wore a United shirt earlier this year – but it was ironically the Toon star’s presence which meant they sat back on the chance to sign his old Lyon team-mate.
Howe and his backroom team believe Guimaraes is more than capable of performing in any of the roles Paqueta can, meaning they would rather move the £35million star around than spend more money on his fellow Brazilian.
Combined with a decision to give Sean Longstaff a new deal, an imminent extension for Jonjo Shelvey once he has played three matches and Joe Willock’s energy and flair, Newcastle felt money needed to be spent in other areas.
Paqueta, who has scored 20 goals for Lyon, is set to play against Newcastle next month.
Head coach’s key role in transfers at Newcastle
Howe thanked the club’s ‘transfer committee’ after the Magpies completed a £58million mega-deal to land Swedish star Aleksander Isak this week.
Sporting director Dan Ashworth, head of recruitment Steve Nickson and the club’s co-owners have all discussed the best options for the squad this summer. The club-record deal also came just days after chairman Yasir Al-rumayyan visited to Tyneside for the 3-3 draw with Manchester City.
Having signed a new long-term contract which will take him into his 50s, Howe also has a key role in transfers - all deals requiring his approval.
This is the same stipulation as former United boss Rafa Benitez demanded during his time on Tyneside, though his relationship with ex-club owner Mike Ashley was far more strained and the clause was seen as a necessity by the Spaniard.
Howe and his staff presented club chiefs with a wish-list of their own this summer and have made recommendations to co-owner Amanda Staveley and the board and then Ashworth once he joined up with the club.
After being given the go-ahead for the deal at the start of the week, Ashworth and Nickson jetted off to Spain to complete talks face-to-face with Real Sociedad chiefs.
Howe told reporters earlier this summer while at a training camp in Austria that he would not be taking a step back from transfers after leading the chase for deals like Guimares and Kieran Trippier in January. The board have been as good as their word in getting him what is required.
Deadline day will result in some goodbyes - or some disappointing news
Newcastle’s squad was already oversubscribed before Isak’s arrival and there are now 29 men battling for places in the club’s 25-man squad.
Howe has kept his cards closely to his chest on who will be leaving and has given many squad members every encouragement to fight for their place.
Howe played down talk he might leave injured Shelvey off the list last week but it remains to be seen whether Emil Krafth will be registered ahead of the 13 Premier League matches which take place before the next window in January.
The Swede was injured at Tranmere in the League Cup win last week and will miss the next few months with a knee injury.
Martin Dubravka could free up some space if he ends up at Manchester United while Howe himself stated that Matty Longstaff needed to play somewhere in July. Javier Manquillo and Federico Fernandez have also barely featured this summer.
Howe moved Ciaran Clark, Dwight Gayle, Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick on earlier in the summer.