Aston Villa don hijack Newcastle United pursuit of Johan Manzambi, and dem near to complete a £49m deal with Freiburg for the Switzerland midfielder.
Manzambi arrival go boost Villa before a season wey dem go return to Champions League, and im move represent a considerable blow for Newcastle.
St James’ Park executives think say dem don secure deal for the versatile 20-year-old, wey don impress at World Cup, after dem fly go Germany last week.
Although Manzambi understand to don offer dem verbal assurances say the personal terms wey dem offer dey acceptable, im no want anything formalised until Switzerland exit World Cup, wey dem do follow defeat against Argentina on Sunday.
As soon as that happen, with Manzambi sideline with minor knee injury, Villa step in.
Villa victory against Freiburg for Europa League final in May mean say dem no be unknown quantity for Manzambi, wey make 47 appearances for Freiburg last season, scoring seven goals and contributing nine assists, and dem believe say im always harbour reservations about moving to Newcastle.
With Bruno Guimarães don tell club hierarchy say im want leave – preferably for Arsenal – this one dey turn to difficult summer for Eddie Howe, with the manager don already lose Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali to Barcelona and Tottenham, respectively, and see Liverpool swoop in to sign club early summer target Víctor Muñoz from Osasuna.
Newcastle dey implement new transfer policy of buying players aged 24 or younger and, ideally, costing less than £40m.
So far dem don sign three players aged 20 or younger – the goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen, the winger Bazoumana Toure and the midfielder Sean Steur, from Reims, Hoffenheim and Ajax respectively, spending around £80m in total.
Howe, wey side finish disappointing 12th for Premier League last season, dey anxious to balance dem youthful promise with experience and im appear determine to try keep Guimarães – but much depend on how much Arsenal dey prepare to pay for the Brazil midfielder and how hard im push to leave.
Newcastle still dey wait for the Premier League champions to make formal offer for dem 28-year-old captain.
Newcastle don long admire the 20-year-old Tottenham midfielder Archie Gray and may also attempt to sign the former Leeds academy graduate this summer.
Meanwhile, Sunderland and Fulham dey vie to sign the Roma right winger Matías Soulé.
The 23-year-old former Argentina Under-20 international due to speak to both clubs but know Florent Ghisolfi, Sunderland director of football, from the executive time doing the same job at Roma.
Soulé, wey begin im career at Juventus, don make 60 senior appearances during two seasons in Rome, scoring 11 goals.
Régis Le Bris, Sunderland manager, dey aim to reinforce im team right-sided attacking options as dem prepare for Europa League campaign.
If deal conclude, e go be the second time Sunderland don sign player from Roma in little more than a year.
Last summer the midfielder Enzo Le Fée make £20m switch from the Serie A side, following successful six-month loan stint at the Stadium of Light.
