According to The Mail, Newcastle have identified Lyon’s Sael Kumbedi as a back-up option to Tino Livramento.
We remain keen on the Southampton star, but the 20-year-old wants to move for regular first-team football and has been valued at around £30m; a fee Newcastle are unlikely to pay as things stand.
Kumbedi is an 18-year-old right-back who can also operate down the left. He’s just enjoyed a breakthrough season at Lyon, playing 27 times at senior level and representing France at youth level.
In the same weekly transfer confidential piece from The Mail, they report that Leicester are demanding £40m for Toon target Harvey Barnes. As a result, it’s thought there’ still ‘work to do’ on his potential move to St James’ Park, as our limited budget has us pushing for a cut-price deal.
They add that Man Utd and West Ham are also admirers of the winger, but he’s believed to favour a move to Newcastle United, putting us in a strong position if a fee can be agreed.
The piece adds that we retain an interest in Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney and have spoken to Monaco’s Axel Disasi and Palace’s Joachim Andersen in our search for a new right-sided centre-back.
