Manchester United plot swoop for Newcastle United transfer target as pundit believes defender has played last game for Aston Villa

Here is all the latest transfer gossip from St James’s Park and beyond:

Man United consider defender ‘top target’

Before landing Dan Burn from Brighton, Newcastle United’s search for a defender saw them scour Europe for some of the continent’s brightest talents.

One of the defenders Newcastle were heavily-linked with was Monaco’s 20-year-old centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

Despite only having three seasons of senior football under his belt, Badiashile was seen as a star of the future by Newcastle.

They may return with another bid for Badiashile in the summer, however, according to the Mirror, they will reportedly face stiff competition from Ralf Rangnick’s Manchester United in order to get the deal done.

The Red Devil’s consider Badiashile as a ‘top target’ as they aim to add defensive reinforcements to their squad.

Pundit on Matt Targett

Danny Mills doesn’t believe that Matt Targett will play for Aston Villa again after impressing on-loan at Newcastle United.

The left-back revealed last week that he made the move from Villa Park in order to play regular first-team football after the arrival of Lucas Digne from Everton.

Target has impressed in his first two outings as a Newcastle player and Mills believes that there won’t be a shortage of options for him should he leave Villa in the summer:

“When a club brings in a player who plays in your position and can only play in that position, let’s be honest, it’s not like they brought in a midfielder or a forward player who can play in two or three separate positions.” Mills told Football Insider.

“You’re a left-back, they brought in a left-back for £25million, the writing is on the wall.”

Mills continued: “The manager thinks he’s better than him and has paid £25million. Does he hang around and hope he picks up a niggle or does he get away and go and play football.

“I think he’s made the right decision because otherwise he would have just sat there and festered thinking he should have gone.

“Whether it be at Newcastle or somewhere else, I don’t see Targett going back to Aston Villa.”

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