Newcastle close to early signing? - Bold claims from Spanish journalist on £21m man

Barely 24 hours removed from the end of the Premier League season, we’re wasting no time in showing our intent in this summer’s transfer market.

With reports suggesting we’re racing to complete our first big summer signing by the end of this week, it already feels like this is going to be an exciting window.

And if reports from the continent are to be believed, one of our emerging transfer targets could be on his way to Tyneside very soon.

Garcia gives green light?

According to some huge claims from Spanish journalist Roberto Melendon, Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia has indicated he would like to join Newcastle United, and that a deal could be finalised 'very soon.'

Garcia has been linked with Barcelona, Arsenal and Aston Villa in recent weeks and has a €25m (£21m) release clause in his current deal.

Writing on X, Melendon states: “KEY HOURS. Joan Garcia approves #Newcastle , now agent and club negotiate. It could become official in the next few days.”

This would certainly fit within the reported timeline of the club wanting to complete some transfer activity as swiftly as possible; something Eddie Howe made very clearly after Sunday's final game of the season.

Just this past weekend, it had looked like Barcelona were going to pip us to signing Garcia, and were prepared to loan the 24-year-old for a season until he was ready to join Hansi Flick’s first team.

What about James Trafford and Nick Pope?

Garcia has been instrumental to Espanyol’s survival in La Liga this season, and one would believe that if he’s going to be moving anywhere this summer, it’ll be to become a club’s no.1 choice.

So this leaves current no.1 Nick Pope and James Trafford, who has been heavily speculated as a pending signing, in an interesting situation.

It had been believed that, should Trafford arrive from Burnley, he would compete with Pope for a place in the starting XI before assuming the no.1 spot as he got older.

However, any move for Garcia may indicate that those plans have changed? Time will tell and this could be the Spanish media jumping the gun again, but it's certainly been a busy day of transfer talk.