Newcastle United ‘transfer blow’ as Man City star ‘buzzing’ to join rivals but ‘definitely’ in for £100m man

It’s set to be another massive weekend of action across English football’s top flight this weekend that will kick off with the early game live from the Midlands.

Newcastle United make the trip to Birmingham to face Aston Villa where former Arsenal boss Unai Emery has the hosts in excellent form ever since taking over last year. Meanwhile, there are still plenty of transfer news stories making the headlines behind the scenes as the rumor mill keeps turning.

The Magpies have reportedly been dealt a ‘blow’ as one rumoured target says he would be ‘buzzing’ to receive an offer from his current loan club who will be competing in the Premier League next season. Meanwhile, a former United player has commented on a player who is set to be one of the most sought after midfielder’s in the world next season and believes there will be definite interest from St James’ Park in entering the race to sign him. Here are the latest Newcastle United transfer news stories on Friday, April 14:

Burnley loanee’s transfer stance emerges in potential blow to Newcastle

An article from Football League World, which references quotes from the Burnley Express and a previous transfer news story from 90min, says that Newcastle United have been dealt a ‘transfer blow’ to their reported interest in Manchester City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis. The 21-year old has been a key figure for Burnley this season who recently gained promotion back to the Premier League from the EFL Championship.

The Englishman was said to be of interest to the Magpies, as well as ‘several other’ Premier League clubs including West Ham United but recently said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Burnley. I signed for the season so I’m a Burnley player right until the end of the season. If it carried on for another season it’d be something I’d be buzzing about. Football doesn’t always go your way so we’ll have to see what happens and see how the conversations go in the summer.”

Newcastle United ‘definitely’ in the hunt for Rice claims pundit

Former Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester United striker Michael Owen has said that Magpies will ‘definetly’ be in the hunt for Declan Rice’s signature this summer, per TeamTALK. West Ham are said to be looking for a fee of around £100 million for the England international but that could be significantly reduced if they were to be relegated to the EFL Championship.

Owen said: “I think there’ll be a lot of teams sniffing around Declan. Newcastle will definitely come into the equation. I mean it looks an upwardly mobile club and it looks like a club that you’d be excited about the future. So I’m sure he’ll have one eye on that if Newcastle are in for him.”