Newcastle United ready to make move for £50m 'top target' after missing out on Premier League duo

Newcastle held talks to sign Dean Huijsen from AFC Bournemouth ahead of the summer transfer window opening due to the 20-year-old’s £50million release clause in his contract.

But The Magpies knew their chances of landing the Spaniard were slim, especially once Real Madrid entered the picture and swooped in to sign the youngster.

Newcastle have also been keeping tabs on Huijsen’s former Bournemouth teammate Illya Zabarnyi as a defensive option.

Champions League winners in talks to sign Illya Zabarnyi

Newcastle will face stiff competition for Zabarnyi should they wish to pursue him this summer as new Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly in talks with the 22-year-old.

The Ukrainian joined Bournemouth from Dynamo Kyiv in January 2023 for £24million and he has since gone on to make 76 appearances for The Cherries. His solid partnership with Huijsen during the 2024-25 campaign will see Bournemouth demand around double the fee they paid back in 2023.

Bournemouth’s defence looks set to be torn apart this summer with left-back Milos Kerkez heavily linked with a move away as well.

In addition to various reports from France that PSG are keen on Zabarnyi, Mail Online has claimed that the Ligue 1 side have already opened talks to sign the defender.

While Newcastle do hold an interest in Zabarnyi, he is not their top defensive target this summer.

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Newcastle United set to make fresh move for Marc Guehi

After failing to land Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi last summer, Newcastle are set to return for the England international as he enters the final 12 months of his contract at Selhurst Park.

The Magpies were not willing to meet Palace’s demands last summer but are now in a stronger negotiating position having qualified for the Champions League and navigated PSR constraints. Guehi helped Crystal Palace to a historic FA Cup win last month, seeing them qualify for the Europa League.

But Palace’s spot in the competition is not yet guaranteed due to a multi-club ownership situation involving Lyon, who have also qualified for the competition. John Textor, who owns 45% of Palace, is also the president and owner of Lyon in France.

Palace are hoping to resolve the situation and be able to compete in the Europa League or else Nottingham Forest will take their place, and Palace’s rivals Brighton will enter the Conference League.

But on the transfer front, Palace face an important decision regarding the future of Guehi. Newcastle are keen to get business done quickly, while Crystal Palace will want to ensure they get the best price possible for one of their top assets.

Chairman Steve Parish’s handling of the Guehi transfer saga is understood to have been met with a mixed response behind the scenes at Selhurst Park. It has been claimed that some members of the club’s hierarchy felt it was a mistake not to cash in while Guehi’s stock was at its highest.

Newcastle would have had to break their transfer record to land Guehi last summer, but will now be looking to agree a deal closer to the £50million mark required to land the likes of Huijsen and Zabarnyi.

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