Chelsea ‘willing’ to make £43m bid for Newcastle United target as former Sunderland man finds new club

Chelsea are reportedly preparing a £43million bid for Newcastle United and Liverpool target Goncalo Inacio.

The Portugal international has attracted significant interest from clubs across Europe after rising to prominence with Sporting CP. Still only 21, Inacio has over 120 appearances for the Primeira Liga giants and his form earned him a maiden call-up to the senior Portugal squad earlier this year.

The classy centre-back earned his first cap when he played the entire 90 minutes of a 4-0 win in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Liechtenstein in March before making a substitute appearance in a 1-0 win in Iceland three months later.

A number of scouts from around Europe have monitored Inacio’s progress in recent months and Spanish outlet Fichajes have now claimed they are ready to step up their interest by lodging a bid worth around £43million with Sporting.

Former Magpie pens two-year deal at Championship club

Former Newcastle United and Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback has a new club following his departure from Nottingham Forest.

The 33-year-old officially became a free agent last month when he contract at the City Ground came to an end but he will now return to the game after joining Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

After putting pen-to-paper on a two-year deal, Colback told the club website: “Success in this division takes a lot of work, you have to be ready to do the ugly side of the game. That’s the difference between the two levels in terms of the Championship and the Premier League.

“There’s a difference in terms of the tactics, too. In this division you will come up against teams who want to play football a lot, and you will come up against teams who will be in your face and more direct, which is something you don’t get as much in the Premier League.”