Newcastle United are apparently trying to break their existing transfer record of £63 million with a move for a Ukrainian midfielder.
Tutto Juve journalist Mirko Di Natale (via Football Fancast) reports that Newcastle is one of five Premier League clubs interested in Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Georgiy Sudakov.
At just 21, the midfielder already has 12 international caps for Ukraine and is expected to get a lot of attention from elite clubs this summer.
Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Newcastle have all requested information on the player as they develop their scouting profiles.
Sudakov has been told he can leave Shakhtar Donetsk
Sudakov had previously voiced his wish to leave Dontetsk and was disappointed when the club rejected a £40 million offer from Napoli, but he has now been assured that he will be allowed to depart.
“I was a little unhappy at first [because I wasn’t sold], but then I understood the club. I still haven’t given my all, and the club wants to make the most money possible from my sale.
“As a result, I decided to extend it for another six months, to winter 2028, because the prior arrangement was only good until summer. Palkin has stated, “I can go to Europe in six months or a year and trust him and the President.”
£85m on a midfielder will be beyond Newcastle this summer
Despite the assurance that he can leave, the fact that Shakhtar have previously turned down £40 million suggests that the club will hold out for a number closer to his release clause value, which is roughly £85 million.
If Newcastle were to cough up that much money, it would dwarf the £63 million spent on Alexander Isak.
However, with Newcastle afraid of FFP and needing so many players in various positions, we don’t expect the club to make any major deals this summer, but rather a series of lesser ones. There may be opportunity for a statement signing, but we anticipate that it will be a forward rather than a midfielder.
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