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Newcastle United might have to contend with a "Newcastle-tax" on transfer dealings from now on even if Sandro Tonali was tax-free, claims transfers expert Graeme Bailey.

Newcastle United transfer news – Suffering from success

The Magpies made their grand statement of intent earlier this week when it was finally confirmed that they had secured the signature of Tonali from AC Milan for a fee of £55m.

Whilst there have been some pretty big deals on Tyneside since the Saudi takeover, with Sven Botman and Bruno Guimaraes opting to don the famous black and white stripes over the traditional big sides, Tonali feels different.

The arrival of the Italian international feels like an announcement of 'here we are, and here we shall stay'. The Toon have made their way into the 'big six/seven' and aren't stopping there.

However, this newfound status and wealth have also brought with it new problems and dilemmas.

Where the team could once go about their transfer dealings in relative peace, making deals without the eyes of the world on them and paying reasonable fees for them, they will now be followed by a spotlight, likely unable to haggle as much as they once could.

One of the ways around this new "Newcastle-tax" for the club might be to leave their transfer business late, giving selling clubs fewer opportunities to drive up prices or haggle over fees, per Graeme Bailey.

He explained the situation on the Talking Transfers podcast, saying:

"When Newcastle come calling, there is a tax being paid on this, and they're very reluctant to pay this Newcastle-tax as it is. They would argue with Tonali they didn't pay it to Milan, and for £50m, they probably didn't pay it, £50-60m.

"Newcastle are going to be busy, but I think they'll be going right to the end of the window to try and negotiate the best deals because they don't want to be ripped off on any deals."

Who else are Newcastle United linked to this summer?

One of the areas that Newcastle are looking to target in this window is in defence. So it's not surprising to hear that the club are extremely keen to secure the signature of Crystal Palace captain and England international Marc Guehi.

According to Football Insider, the Toon have been told that an offer of £60m would be enough to tempt the South London club into selling their star player, and whilst the centre-back was outstanding last season, averaging a rating of 6.68, £60m sound like the aforementioned tax is being sprinkled on top.

Another defender reportedly being watched by Eddie Howe and Co is Fulham full-back and United States international Antonee Robinson, who, according to the Evening Standard, would be available for the more reasonable fee of £35m.

Perhaps in a bid to avoid paying over the odds this summer, both Conor Gallagher and Kalvin Phillips have been linked with loan moves to St. James' Park, per the Telegraph.

Whatever strategy Newcastle end up employing going forward, they might just have to accept that one of the downsides of having such unbelievably wealthy owners is that clubs will be looking to make as much money off their backs as possible.

Liverpool continue to track Mainz's teenage striker Nelson Weiper and could look to lodge a formal bid this summer, according to recent reports…

What's the latest on Nelson Weiper to Liverpool?

That's according to German outlet BILD (via Sport Witness), who claim that the 18-year-old is a player who Liverpool have been very keen on for several years now, but his Bundesliga outfit will not sell him for anything under €20m (£17m).

There are even claims that Die Nullfünfer could value the player at around €50m (£43m) in two years' time, given that the meteoric rise he is currently riding shows no sign of abating as he continues his development.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is understandably prioritising bolstering the midfield this summer, though the opportunity to sign such a precocious talent could be too good to turn down.

Who is Nelson Weiper?

It's been a tremendous start to life on the major stage for Weiper; having scored 41 goals from 39 matches at youth level, the German "mega-talent" – as hailed by German football consultant Adam Khan – netted twice for Mainz's senior side last season.

Indeed, Weiper scored twice in the Bundesliga from just nine appearances, and given that he is still yet to make his full debut in the competition it is no wonder that clubs of Liverpool's stature are circling.

The teenage sensation has been active for Germany U21s at the U21 European Championships this summer and started once from three outings, no he yielded no goals as the nation foundered in the group phase – albeit demonstrating his striking instincts by registering 2.7 shots per game, as per Sofascore.

While the onus will indeed shy away from the centre-forward position on the red half of Merseyside this summer given the necessity for reinforcements elsewhere and the recent acquisitions of Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, Weiper would be a remarkable option for the future and is undoubtedly a true footballing "prodigy" – as also proclaimed by Khan.

His prospective move could spell danger for Kaide Gordon, who has been making a comeback from injury after impressing at youth level for Liverpool and scoring one goal from four senior appearances – on his debut against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup.

Gordon has been described as an "exceptional" prospect by his German manager and does have the advantage of thriving across a multitude of positions, notably the offensive flanks and central striking role, but has indeed been unfortunate to have seen his progress hindered by a cruel injury that has left him on the sidelines for over 16 months.

Regardless, the one-cap England U18 international would likely see Weiper leapfrog him in regard to the ceiling of his career should he be signed, but from a more positive slant, there is every chance that the pair could forge a deadly striking alliance to wreak havoc in the future.

Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta have made a "very strange" signing in Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, says talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Who have Arsenal signed this summer?

The Gunners have many plates spinning in north London with some reports even suggesting they could spend in and around £200 million in total on new additions.

West Ham star Declan Rice, who is reliably believed to be of interest, has already been at the centre of two rejected bids from Arsenal with one of them being a club record.

Meanwhile, it is believed that Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and Southampton's Romeo Lavia are on the list, with talks being held over both players (Football Insider).

Before all of them, though, Arsenal and sporting director Edu have sealed the signing of Chelsea's Havertz in a £65 million move from Chelsea – with the German set to undergo medical tests ahead of a formal announcement (The Evening Standard).

Fabrizio Romano also backs that Arsenal have signed the forward, though former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor thinks the Gunners are making a mistake.

Indeed, the talkSPORT regular seems to believe that Havertz actually doesn't suit Arteta's system, and they should be looking for an out-and-out goalscorer instead.

"I don't understand that transfer its very strange,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider.

“It would be a wrong deal for the Gunners, and I am sure that their fans would agree.”

How has Kai Havertz played?

Scoring just seven goals and grabbing one assist last season, you wouldn't describe Havertz as a serious goal-getter, but his versatility will be a big draw for Arteta.

He can play anywhere across the forward line, out wide and in central attacking midfield, with the 24-year-old also averaging more attempts at goal per 90 than any Chelsea player last season bar Joao Felix (WhoScored).

Havertz, for £65 million, could be viewed as a promising transfer and it will be interesting to see how Arteta utilises him.

Nottingham Forest transfer target Aaron Martin would be the perfect replacement for Renan Lodi as the left-back heads back to Atletico Madrid, and he'd cost absolutely nothing.

Nottingham Forest transfer news – Aaron Martin identified

The Tricky Trees completed their first bit of business of the summer earlier this week, with Chris Wood signing with the club on a permanent basis following a successful loan spell in the first season back in the Premier League.

The striker cost the club £15m, but if last summer was anything to go by, Steve Cooper and his side aren't afraid to splash the cash, so don't expect their business in the transfer market to end anytime soon.

They've got a lot of holes to fill in the side, with Keylor Navas' return to Paris Saint-Germain and Jesse Lingard's departure leaving them with plenty of work to do as they look to replace the outgoing talent.

Fortunately, according to the Daily Mail, it seems Forest have already identified Martin as a suitable replacement for Lodi, who has returned to his parent club following his loan spell in the Midlands, and better yet, any move for the left-back won't cost them a penny as he's a free-agent after leaving Bundesliga outfit 1. FSV Mainz 05.

Would Aaron Martin be a good replacement for Renan Lodi?

While defensively, Martin's statistics don't quite compare to Lodi's output this season, his influence offensively far surpasses that of the Brazilian.

Averaging 1.5 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and one clearance per game this season, the Spaniard's numbers didn't quite reach the Atletico loanee in the defensive department. In comparison, the Brazilian dynamo averaged 1.9 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per match, so it's clear that bringing Martin in to replace the 25-year-old will see the club take a step back defensively.

With that being said, the 5 foot 11 maestro outshone Lodi offensively, scoring five goals and creating three assists in the Bundesliga this year, while the departing loan star managed just one assist in the Premier League.

Not only that but Martin's average of one key pass a game in comparison to Lodi's 0.5 hints that while replacing the Brazilian with the Spaniard wouldn't benefit them defensively, it would give the side a huge boost offensively, with the free-agent a proven positive influence going forward into the final third.

The pair are fairly similar with their ball-carrying skills, with Lodi averaging 0.6 successful dribbles a game, while Martin averaged 0.4, but the former Mainz man's average WhoScored rating of 6.66 is a significant improvement on the 25-year-old's 6.54 a game, which hints at his positive impact on the pitch.

With Forest's joint top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi scoring eight of his 10 goals this season from inside the six-yard box, the club will need someone to provide him if they're to succeed next season, and with his playmaking ability already apparent, and an average of 1.3 crosses and 1.3 long balls a game this year, Martin, on a free transfer following his departure from Mainz, would be a perfect addition to the side.

Unai Emery kickstarted Aston Villa's summer transfer business over the weekend with a swoop for Youri Tielemans on a free transfer.

The Belgian will officially join the group at the start of next month, upon the expiry of his contract at Leicester City, to bolster the club's options in the middle of the park.

He could be joined by Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is also set to be a free agent at the end of June. talkSPORT have claimed that Villa have held talks with the former England international over a possible move to be their second addition.

The Villans are also reportedly eyeing up West Ham United ace Manuel Lanzini, who is another Premier League player who is on the verge of being available on a free transfer.

How did Manuel Lanzini perform this season?

The Argentine attacking midfielder only played 19 times in the Premier League and the Europa Conference League combined but produced impressive progressing passing numbers that suggest he could be a bargain signing for Villa.

Over the last 365 days, Lanzini ranks in the top 12% or higher of players in his position in the Men's Next Eight Competitions for shot-creating actions, progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.

This means that the West Ham ace has been one of the best midfielders in that group of players at moving his team up the pitch and opening up space to either create a chance or allow one of his teammates to provide the creativity.

The Hammers wizard, who was once hailed as "magical" by West Ham Fan TV co-founder Nicky Hawkins, excels at breaking lines and dribbling past the opposition to make things happen in the final third, suggesting that Lanzini could be an excellent option for Villa when they are trying to break down a low block.

Emery could call upon the 30-year-old in tight matches where his side will need to find ways of progressing the ball up the pitch quickly and effectively, which the Argentine gem is seemingly superb at doing.

Lanzini, who has scored 27 goals in 179 Premier League appearances, is a proven top-flight performer in England and could be a shrewd addition to Villa's squad as they would be getting someone who can hit the ground running and instantly perform.

This is also the case with Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has featured in 235 games in the division throughout his career, and Tielemans, who played 151 times in the league during his time with the Foxes.

Such a dynamic and fluid midfield trio would no doubt boost Emery's ranks next term and to get three hugely experienced Premier League players for £0 would be remarkable business.

Indeed, this has the potential to be a masterclass from Emery if he can get these three deals over the line and, hopefully, the Spaniard will be able to do just that in the coming weeks.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho this summer as new manager Ange Postecoglou looks to revitalise the north London outfit.

What's the latest on Jadon Sancho to Tottenham?

According to the Daily Star, Spurs are indeed lining up a £50m bid to sign the England international after falling by the wayside this season, with Sancho failing to live up to expectations at Old Trafford.

The 23-year-old signed for the Red Devils from Borussia Dortmund for £73m in 2021 after captivating supporters in the German Bundesliga but has not found the same level of prolific success in the Premier League after two campaigns.

The report claims that United manager Erik ten Hag would not let Sancho depart for less than £60m, and it remains to be seen whether he would acquiesce to a move outside of European competition next season.

Should Tottenham sign Jadon Sancho?

Spurs supporters will be desperate to forge a more fruitful seasonal path next year after pipping Arsenal to Champions League qualification last term, now facing a first season without European football since 2009/10.

While the leaky defence will need reinforcing forthwith, Postecoglou will surely be hoping to provide extra firepower across multiple facets, and Sancho could be the perfect addition to the frontline.

Once hailed a "menace" by Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, Sancho plundered 16 goals and 20 assists from just 38 appearances in his final season with the Yellow Wall before returning to his homeland, where he has only scored 12 goals and six assists from 79 outings for United.

The £350k-per-week phenom could emerge as Tottenham's answer to their north London rivals' star boy in Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, with Sancho's countryman boasting a similar profile according to FBref's 'Similar Players' model, and if he can harness his attacking flair he could yet emulate his blistering success in the Premier League.

While the Gunners came up short in their title bid this season, they have still returned to prominence unseen since the days of Arsene Wenger and qualified for next year's Champions League after six seasons away, and Saka has been the nucleus of much of the success.

The 21-year-old scored 14 goals and supplied 11 assists from 38 matches in the top flight this term and has been hailed as "phenomenal" by his manager Mikel Arteta.

He also ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, which illustrates his forward-surging presence that Sancho could replicate.

This is evidenced by the "immaculate" Sancho – as dubbed by journalist Rhys Jones – ranking among the top 5% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 13% for progressive carries and the top 8% for touches in the attacking box per 90.

Sancho demonstrated his prolific touch before his move to Manchester, and given he boasts a remarkable similarity to Arsenal's prodigy, he could forge a deadly career to get the Lilywhites back to prominence.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is set to enter his first summer transfer window in charge of the club and it provides him with a chance to make big changes to his squad.

The Spaniard helped the club to secure European football for next season by earning qualification for the Europa Conference League and the roster may need upgrading in order to deal with playing in multiple competitions.

Portuguese outlet A Bola recently reported that the Villans are interested in a deal to sign Sporting attacking midfielder Pedro Goncalves ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and he could improve Emery's team significantly.

The report claimed that the club have been tracking the ace since 2020 and have contacted the Liga Portugal side to enquire about his price, with his side demanding that potential suitors pay up his release clause of €80m (£69m).

How did Pedro Goncalves perform this season?

Emery could land a big upgrade on current Villa playmaker Emiliano Buendia by signing Goncalves as the 24-year-old star enjoyed an exceptional campaign with Sporting in his home country.

In the Portuguese top flight, the magician averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.51 across 33 matches and contributed with 15 goals and 11 assists.

The dynamo proved himself to be a reliable goalscorer from an attacking midfield or wide position, after scoring eight goals in 27 league outings last term, and could provide a greater goal threat than Buendia, who managed just five strikes in 38 matches in the Premier League in 22/23 and four in 35 games in 21/22 for the Villans.

Goncalves, whose form was once hailed as "incredible" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also created 16 'big chances' and provided 2.6 key passes per match for Sporting in the league. This shows that the former Wolves maestro is consistently opening up the opposition's defence to create quality opportunities for his teammates, to go along with his own goalscoring ability.

Buendia, meanwhile, created eight 'big chances' and made 1.4 key passes per game for Villa in the league and these statistics indicate that the Argentine does not offer as much as the Portuguese talent when it comes to creating for others.

Therefore, Emery could improve his squad heading into the 2023/24 campaign by swooping for Goncalves in the coming months as the playmaker has the potential to provide far more quality in the final third than the ex-Norwich man.

There is no guarantee that he will be able to translate his form from Portugal over to England but his eye-catching form in front of goal suggests that it is a gamble worth taking this summer.

Chelsea talks with Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte have 'accelerated' at a swift speed ahead of the forthcoming transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manuel Ugarte?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea have scouted Ugarte on several occasions and are said to be in the 'driving seat' to bring the Sporting Lisbon enforcer to Stamford Bridge this summer.

The report states that the Blues will meet his £52 million release clause, though they may try to formulate some sort of installment package to acquire Ugarte if it is a viable route to go down.

90min also detail Chelsea's interest in Ugarte and have claimed that Paris Saint-Germain also child a strong attraction towards the Uruguay international.

It is believed that bringing in a new midfielder has been a main priority for the Blues even before the arrival of new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Portuguese publication Record have indicated that Chelsea may be willing to include the services of young striker David Datro Fofana on loan to do a deal for Ugarte.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has been taken aback by how quickly Chelsea's pursuit of Ugarte has progressed over the last few days.

Jones said: "It's certainly accelerated faster than I anticipated, to be honest. We'll now have to see how quickly it can continue to move forward and what the momentum is.

"We know Chelsea are interested, but the rate at which this has been moving forward makes me think that they're keen to get it done very quickly."

Would Manuel Ugarte be a good signing for Chelsea?

Ugarte has been in excellent form for Sporting Lisbon this term and would help to shore up Chelsea's midfield as they enter into a new era at Stamford Bridge with Pochettino at the helm.

In 2022/23, the £16k-a-week ace has featured 47 times in all competitions for his current employers, registering a solitary assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored demonstrate that Ugarte is also an extremely safe presence in possession and has achieved a pass success rate of 91.6% this campaign in the Primeira Liga, something which could help Chelsea to dominate the ball for long spells in 2023/24.

FBRef also determine that the former Famalicao star fares well compared to his positional peers in Europe's eight divisions below the top five leagues on the continent in the art of number of players tackled, with Ugarte managing to successfully come out on top in 4.63 challenges per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, putting him in the first percentile for this metric.

With Chelsea needing a serious rebuild this summer, bringing in Ugarte could be a masterstroke of a signing in west London that could add some bite to Pochettino's engine room moving forward.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe wants to tie Sean Longstaff down to a new contract. 

The lowdown

Having come through the youth ranks at Newcastle, the North Shields-born midfielder made his senior debut in August 2018 (via nufc.co.uk). Less than four years on, he’s only seven short of a century of appearances for the Magpies.

The £11.7million-rated 24-year-old was due to be out of contract at the end of the season.

As he contemplates whether to sign on the dotted line, he’s may need assurances over playing time next season. Longstaff has made 22 Premier League appearances, 13 of them starts, so far this term.

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The latest

The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder relayed an update on Longstaff on Twitter on Thursday evening.

“Eddie Howe hoping to complete [a] deal for [the] midfielder,” he wrote.

In the attached story, he explains that Newcastle actually opened negotiations over the contract in 2019, but they stalled.

Longstaff apparently has other offers, but Howe wants to keep him at St James’ Park with a four-year commitment.

The verdict

It was looking a little bleak for Longstaff’s Newcastle future early in Howe’s reign.

He played 19 minutes of the manager’s first game against Brentford, but watched the next five from the sidelines.

However, he’s featured in 11 of the 19 matches since then and though that may not be quite the level of involvement he’d ideally like, it does show his value as a squad player.

Indeed, Howe and the club hierarchy may have decided that replacing Longstaff, who would be leaving on a free, would needlessly consume a portion of their summer transfer budget.

He’s a highly capable of midfielder himself, winning praise from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Ryder, who dubbed him ‘fantastic’.

In other news, Luke Edwards rages over this Newcastle leak.

Manchester United have reportedly initiated contact with Napoli over a summer swoop for Victor Osimhen.

The Lowdown: United ‘on pole’ for Osimhen

It looks set to be a busy summer at Old Trafford ahead of Erik ten Hag’s first season as Red Devils manager. A number of outgoings are expected, one of which is Edinson Cavani, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

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Ten Hag will be left with limited central attacking options as a result of the Uruguayan’s exit, with reports suggesting that United are ‘on pole’ to sign the ‘highly unpredictable’ Osimhen.

The Nigeria international has contributed to 23 goals in 30 games for Napoli this season, and a further update has now emerged ahead of a possible move to Manchester.

The Latest: Contact made

Sport Witness relayed an update from Corriere dello Sport regarding Osimhen and United. They claimed that the Red Devils have initiated contact with Napoli to find out the forward’s price tag.

The Serie A club have told United that they want €110m (£94.3m) for the 23-year-old, although that figure appears to be negotiable.

The Verdict: Big money…

Osimhen has scored goals in Belgium, France and Italy and is seemingly getting better each season, but it looks as if United may need to pay a huge fee for his services.

Therefore, the Red Devils should be in close discussion with Ten Hag, ensuring that he definitely sees the 23-year-old in his plans before attempting to push through a move.

It looks as if they are already putting plans in place over a mega-money transfer for the centre-forward, who can also play out wide, making this a prospective deal to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks.

In other news: Man Utd want to sign ‘underrated’ defender in £38m swoop following Brighton loss