Newcastle rebuffed in second Carlos attempt
Newcastle United continues to work towards additional dealings during the January transfer window in a bid to provide boss Eddie Howe with badly-needed reinforcements to the first-team squad at St. James’ Park but will be left frustrated as negotiations with Sevilla for center-back Diego Carlos have yet to bear fruit.
According to The Athletic’s Newcastle correspondent Chris Waugh, reports in Spain via Goal make the claim that the Magpies have had a second offer for Carlos rejected.
Reports in Spain claim #NUFC have had another offer rejected for Diego Carlos – though negotiations have been continuing for several days.
Carlos is now #NUFC‘s top target but, if claims are accurate, still a lot of work to do if they’re to get at least one centre-back by Leeds.
— Chris Waugh (@ChrisDHWaugh) January 18, 2022
The door on a possible deal that would see the 28-year-old Brazilian international after it was also said that both clubs have been locked in ongoing negotiations across the last few days, with Carlos emerging as the top January target for Newcastle. Diego Carlos is currently valued at ~£38million via Transfermarkt, and given that his current terms in Sevilla run until 2024, it is likely that he could well outstrip the £40million club-record transfer fee for fellow Brazilian Joelinton that Newcastle shelled out back in the summer of 2019.
Any deal, should it be completed, may come too late for the player to feature in the away day at Elland Road against Leeds United on Saturday, however.
Magpies fall flat on Italian front with double bid rejected
Diego Carlos is not the only player Newcastle are hoping to add to the first-team ranks before the conclusion of the window, with at least two other names on the shopping list along Tyneside.
Atalanta pair Duván Zapata and Robin Gosens are both wanted men at Newcastle, but Serie A outfit Atalanta Bergamo have rejected bids for the La Dea pair.
MUNICH, GERMANY – JUNE 23: Robin Gosens of Germany looks on during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group F match between Germany and Hungary at Allianz Arena on June 23, 2021 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
According to Get Italian Football News citing Gianluca Di Marzio, Atalanta have not closed the door on one or both players leaving the club in the winter window and will only change their stance if they receive improved offers.
The targeting of another centre-forward after the completed deal for Chris Wood comes as somewhat of a surprise perhaps. Though Callum Wilson is out injured yet again, he was clearly one of the first names on the teamsheet under both Steve Bruce and now Eddie Howe. A deal for Zapata would surely throw his status into speculation.
As for Gosens, any and all defensive reinforcements are a necessity at St. James’ Park after Kieran Trippier’s arrival. The German international would have little trouble walking straight into the Newcastle XI as the club looks to build a whole new first-choice XI piece by piece.
