Newcastle United transfer news: Defender chase latest as contract talks stall for target

Everton's British defender Lewis Gibson reacts at the end of the friendly football match between Kariobangi Sharks and Everton at the Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, on July 7, 2019. (Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP) (Photo credit should read YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the Liverpool Echo, talks between the player have reached an impasse with just six months left on his current Toffees deal.

As a result, Celtic have joined Newcastle in registering their interest in a player who despite being highly-rated on Merseyside, has failed to break into the first-team this season.

The defender was sold by United in 2017, aged just 17, for a fee rising to £6million.

Discussing his NUFC exit, Gibson said last year: “We sat down and discussed what would be the best route for me to play first-team and make my debut competitively.

"I didn’t really think at the time that Newcastle was right for me and when I was told about Everton I knew the interest they put into me.”

Meanwhile, Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera claim that Aston Villa boss Dean Smith is set to launch a bid to hijack Newcastle United's talks with AC Milan over striker Krzysztof Piątek.The Poland international, still understood to be part of the Rossoneri's plans despite the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has been linked with United in recent days.But Villa, in search of a Wesley replacement, are reportedly set to launch their own £30million bid. West Ham and Bayer Leverkusen are also thought to be monitoring the player’s situation at the San Siro.