Newcastle United eye £80m Premier League double swoop as Man Utd beat them to 'top target'

Some of the Premier League’s most sought-after players this summer have release clauses in their contracts that can be triggered this summer.

Release clauses can be attractive options for buying clubs as they allow them to complete a deal without negotiating a fee with the other club.

Newcastle United are looking to bolster their squad in the summer as they prepare for a return to European football. Winning the Carabao Cup guarantees The Magpies at least Conference League football though they have set their ambitions higher as they currently sit third in the Premier League table and in the Champions League positions with four games left to play.

Newcastle’s squad struggled to cope with Champions League football last time around as it suffered an injury crisis and was knocked out at the group stage. The club’s domestic form was also impacted as they finished seventh in the table and missed out on European football entirely.

Newcastle United target £80m Premier League release clause swoop

Newcastle’s interest in Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is well documented and came into sharper focus over the weekend.

The Magpies’ 3-0 win on Saturday confirmed Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship and activated a £30million release clause in Delap’s contract that can be triggered this summer.

The 22-year-old has scored 12 league goals in a struggling Ipswich side and will be a sought-after player this summer. Newcastle are prepared to trigger the striker’s release clause but will face stiff competition from the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Chelsea may look to complete a deal in early June ahead of the Club World Cup so clubs will have to act quickly. Any transfer completed before June 30 will be included as part of the current season’s PSR calculations.

Newcastle find themselves in a healthier position heading into the summer compared to last year, where they felt forced to sell Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson in order to comply with PSR. The club has also kept spending to a minimum over the past three transfer windows while the sale of Miguel Almiron and the potential permanent transfer of Lloyd Kelly to Juventus are set to free up funds for Eddie Howe and Paul Mitchell this summer.

Follow the action from St James’ Park and beyond when you sign up for the Gazette’s free NUFC newsletter

In addition to Delap, Newcastle are looking to strengthen defensively with AFC Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen another target.

Newcastle been in contact with Bournemouth regarding the defender, who has a £50million release clause in his contract. The 20-year-old has enjoyed an impressive debut season in the Premier League since his £15million move from Juventus last year.

Like Delap, Huijsen is expected to be on the move this summer, given the interest surrounding him.

While triggering Huijsen’s release clause would remove any need to negotiate with Bournemouth over a fee, Newcastle and other clubs have still been in contact regarding potential structured payments and add-ons rather than paying the £50million up front.

Man Utd close in on £64m Newcastle United ‘top target’

Another player set to be on the move this summer is Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha, who also has a release clause in his contract.

According to Mail Online, Newcastle made Cunha a ‘top target’ ahead of the summer transfer window after being attracted by his versatility and eye for goal. Cunha can play across the midfield or attacking line and has scored 17 goals in 32 games for Wolves this season.

The Brazilian has a £64million release clause in his contract at Wolves, one Newcastle would be willing to trigger. But Manchester United have swooped in for talks with the 25-year-old and are understood to be closing in on a deal.

Your next Newcastle United read: Five players set to leave NUFC this summer as £20m transfer lined-up for £100k-per-week star