In the summer transfer window, Newcastle United is hoping to finalize the signing of a “magic” player in a transaction that may not even come close to £5 million.
Newcastle transfer news
Once their underwhelming season concludes in May, the Magpies may opt to overhaul their squad, as reinforcements are arguably required across the pitch. Long-term injuries to center-backs Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles highlight the need for defensive additions, not just centrally but also at full-back, particularly since Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn are now aged 33 and 31 respectively.
As per a recent report, Newcastle has shown interest in securing the services of Real Sociedad center-back Robin Le Normand. However, they face tough competition from Napoli, who could potentially secure his signature by offering as little as £1.7m more than the Magpies.
Speculations persist regarding Newcastle’s interest in Sporting CP duo Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande, with the Portuguese club already preparing for the potential departure of at least one of their promising defensive talents.
Beyond bolstering the backline, Newcastle has set their sights on Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra as a summer target. The Spaniard, often compared to his legendary compatriot Xabi Alonso, is reportedly on their radar. Additionally, Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale could make his way to St James’ Park to provide stiff competition for Nick Pope in goal. Ramsdale’s familiarity with Eddie Howe from their time together at Bournemouth could play a significant role in any potential transfer.
Newcastle want to sign “magic” shot-stopper
Newcastle is interested in signing Middlesbrough goalkeeper Seny Dieng this summer, according to Mike McGrath and John Percy of The Telegraph. The article also claims that Boro wants to sell Dieng for twice the £2 million they paid for him in 2023.
Ipswich Town, the top team in the Championship, and several Premier League teams, including Crystal Palace, are rumored to be interested in the 29-year-old.
Dieng might be a pretty wise backup option for Pope if Newcastle doesn’t go out and get Ramsdale this summer, but having all three in Howe’s team might not be necessary.
| Seny Dieng’s key career stats in British football | Matches | Goals conceded | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queen Park Rangers | 121 | 162 | 30 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 32 | 32 | 10 |
| Middlesbrough | 29 | 38 | 9 |
| Dundee | 18 | 33 | 1 |
| Stevenage | 16 | 21 | 5 |
The Middlesbrough player, who has five caps for Senegal at the international level, is now a highly experienced player with 145 Championship outings under his belt. “Seny is a modest young man, says a few words,” former manager Michael Beale once praised a fantastic moment in which he scored a late equalizer for QPR against Sunderland in 2022–2023.
Given that Newcastle is one of the biggest teams in the Premier League, Dieng would undoubtedly leap at the chance to transfer there. He would also probably be happy to play second fiddle to Pope, pressing him for playing time but understanding that he isn’t first choice right away.