Newcastle United transfer rumours as Sekou Mara closes in on Southampton move

A look at the latest Newcastle United transfer rumours on Friday, 22 July.

Newcastle United's Premier League rivals Southampton have agreed a deal with Bordeaux to sign highly rated youngster Sekou Mara. The French club tweeted: "Agreement in principle with @SouthamptonFC for the transfer of @S_Mvrv . The striker will join England in order to pass his medical examination and sign his contract.”

90Min claim the Premier League outfit will pay a reported fee £12.8million and beating Everton and Newcastle to his signature. The 19-year-old enjoyed a steady breakthrough campaign, scoring six goals and notching two assists in 27 games.

Former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie has told Newcastle United to go big in their hunt for a striker this summer after reports claim Brentford have slapped a £40million price tag on Ivan Toney. The Magpies sold the striker for a fee in the region of £600,000 to Peterborough where he rebuilt his career and later secured a move to the Bees.

McAvennie told Football Insider: “Would he go to Newcastle? Yes. I think this is a big year for them. I don’t think they’ll win the league but they’ll want to challenge for top eight or top seven and get into the [Europa] Conference League hopefully.

“Next year it will be the Champions League spots they’ll want to get and then they will be challenging for the league. Toney isn’t one of the out and out top strikers in the world and I think Newcastle have the money to spend big on a striker.

“Do I think he could go there and play? Yes. Do I think it’ll happen? No. I don’t think Brentford would let him go.

“I don’t think he’s big enough to go to Newcastle. The number nine jersey is a massive one at Newcastle and I don’t think Toney could handle that.“

Edd