Luke Edwards drops big NUFC transfer twist that'll leave supporters gutted - opinion

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their reported pursuit of Lucas Paqueta in the summer transfer window… 

The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards has confirmed that the club are not interested in a deal to bring the Brazil international to St. James’ Park ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He Tweeted: “#nufc are not looking to sign Lucas Paqueta from Lyon, contrary to rumours being spread on here and elsewhere. He is recognised as a talented player but not someone they need at the moment. More transfer updates on Botman and Ekitike to follow on @TeleFootball shortly.”

This comes as a twist after it was reported, last month, that the club were ready to swoop for Bruno Guimaraes’ former teammate.

Edwards’ transfer twist will leave Toon supporters gutted as Paqueta, on paper, would be an excellent addition to the team.

Eddie Howe would surely love to have a player of his quality in his squad as the 25-year-old has proven his ability at the top level in Ligue 1.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the gem produced nine goals and six assists from midfield whilst averaging a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.13. This shows that he has the talent to make things happen in the final third whilst maintaining a high level with his performance week-in-week-out.

His displays are not a flash in the pan, either, as he caught the eye in his debut season for Lyon – averaging a rating of 7.17 as he scored ten goals and assisted five in Ligue 1. He is a consistent player who has proven that he has the tools required to be a top player in a major European league.

On top of that, he also has a pre-existing relationship with Guimaraes because they played alongside each other at Lyon and both play for Brazil at international level. This means that he would have