Championship star opens up on Newcastle interest as Magpies ready to battle for former Sven Botman team-mate

Watford youngster Yaser Asprilla has addressed speculation that linked him with a move to Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion during the summer transfer window.

The three-times capped Colombia international joined the Championship club during the January transfer window last year and has rapidly taken to life in English football’s second tier with a number of impressive displays.

He had already progressed into the international scene by making his Colombia debut in a 2-1 win against Honduras just prior to his move to Vicarage Road and grabbed his first goal for his country in a 4-1 victory against Guatemala in September 2022.

With three goals and four assists in 53 appearances in all competitions for the Hornets, Asprilla was said to have been on the radar of Newcastle and Brighton as the Premier League duo looked to strengthen their squads during the summer.

But the 19-year-old midfielder has hit out at the speculation in a recent interview and insisted he never wanted to leave the Championship club. He told the Watford Observer: “The stories were all lies, that is what happens back in Colombia.

"There were stories during the season saying that Bilic had dropped me out of the first-team squad, and that was a lie.  These rumours that I was unhappy or that I wanted to leave were also all lies.

“I don’t like to speak to the media so I wouldn’t have said those things myself.  My agent and my family didn’t speak to the press either, because none of us want these kind of rumours going around.  Of course I am happy to have the chance to say this now. I want to keep going here at Watford.”

Magpies 'ready to battle' for former Sven Botman team-mate

Newcastle United are considering a move for Lille defender Tiago Djalo - but face competition from some of the biggest clubs in Europe. 90Min have claimed the Magpies are ‘keeping close tabs’ on Djalo and are ‘ready to battle’ for his signature in the new year. The 23-year-old is believed to have been on United’s radar for the last year and, as it stands, will be available on a free transfer when his current contract comes to an end next summer

However, there are several other clubs said to be monitoring Djalo’s situation with Lille after the likes of Inter, Juventus, Barcelona, Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid are all showing an interest in the versatile defender. Significantly, the report states Djalo has already ‘made it clear’ he wants to leave Lille in 2024.