Done Deal : Newcastle United lose £21m bid for ‘extremely fast’ winger to Premier League rival
Newcastle United fans are watching other Premier League teams bolster their squads with January transfers, including some players who had previously been linked to Newcastle.
Manchester City are reportedly closing in on Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush, both of whom had been mentioned in connection with Newcastle, though with varying levels of credibility.
Recently, there were rumors that Newcastle might swoop in and steal Borussia Dortmund winger Donyell Malen from Aston Villa’s grasp. However, given the advanced talks between Villa and Dortmund, and the fact that Newcastle is likely not to spend this month, the chances of this move happening seemed slim. Now, it appears Malen is heading to Villa after a £21 million deal was reportedly agreed, according to Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg.
This could be a solid deal for Villa, especially considering Rafael van der Vaart’s praise for Malen, describing him as a potential world-class player. Malen impressed last season at St James’ Park when Dortmund faced Newcastle in the Champions League, even being named Player of the Match.
While Malen wasn’t a realistic target for Newcastle, his versatility to play both as a winger and a striker would have made him a valuable addition to the squad.
However, despite various rumors linking Newcastle with new signings, we don’t expect any incoming transfers this month unless there’s an unexpected player sale, which we hope doesn’t happen.
The few players Newcastle has available for sale may bring in some funds, but none would require an immediate replacement. As a result, we anticipate a quiet January and a more active summer transfer window.
