Liverpool 'start talks' with 8-goal Newcastle United and Aston Villa transfer target amid £20m price tag claim
The latest transfer talk from Newcastle United as the Magpies look to add to their squad before the end of the January transfer window.
Newcastle United are believed to be keen to boost their forward options over the coming months - but one reported striker target could well be heading to a Premier League rival.
As it stands, Alexander Isak is Eddie Howe’s only fit and available senior striker and the Sweden international will hope to continue the best run of form of his Magpies career when Wolverhampton Wanderers visit St James Park on Wednesday night. Despite contending a slight hamstring injury, Isak is expected to be fit for the game as he looks to score for the eighth consecutive league game. Summer signing Will Osula will also hope to feature at some point after the Danish youngster scored his first goal for the club in Sunday’s FA Cup third round win against League Two club Bromley.
With Callum Wilson still battling back from another injury and now sat in the final six months of his current deal at St James Park, there is a need to add to Howe’s attacking ranks over the next two transfer windows. The Magpies have been strongly linked with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain star Randal Kolo Muani, Lille and Canada forward Jonathan David and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin. However, several younger strikers are being monitored and Nurnberg’s on-loan youngster Stefanos Tzimas has been linked with a move to Tyneside on several occasions in recent months.
The Greece Under-21 international joined the Bundesliga II side on a season-long loan during the summer and has gone on to score eight goals and provide two assists in 15 appearances during the first half of the campaign. Nurnberg are said to be prepared to activate a £15m option to convert the loan deal into a permanent switch and are open to selling Tzimas during the summer after the current Premier League leaders opened talks over a possible agreement.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg took to X (formerly Twitter) to deliver a major update on the race to sign the Greek youngster. He posted: “Liverpool have started talks with 1. FC Nürnberg about a summer transfer for Stefanos Tzimas. There was a phone call a few days ago. LFC have also spoken to the player’s camp. The 19y/o striker is regarded as one of the brightest forward talents in Greece, having scored 8 goals this season for 1. FC Nürnberg. FCN are still planning to activate the €18m buy option with the intention of selling him directly in the summer, as previously revealed. FCN have set a price tag of €25m + add-ons. Liverpool, as well as Chelsea, Brighton, Aston Villa, and many Bundesliga clubs, have been informed.”
Tzimas will be back in action on Sunday lunchtime when Nurnberg return to Bundesliga II action with a home game against Karlsruhe.