Newcastle United's St James' Park football ground. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)Newcastle United's St James' Park football ground. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Newcastle United's St James' Park football ground. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Newcastle United transfer rumours: Magpies tipped to challenge Southampton for £16m defender, West Ham battle Crystal Palace for starlet

Newcastle United's pre-season campaign continues tomorrow evening, when they take on League One outfit Burton Albion at the Pirelli Stadium.

The Burton clash was the side's last friendly match on the road, before they return to St James' Park to take on fellow top tier side Norwich City in their final warm-up game for the new season a week on Saturday.

The Magpies have experienced a pre-season of mixed fortunes thus far, with a couple of rocky results in the friendlies, and they're snow the only Premier League side yet to sign a single player this summer.

Meanwhile, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce was quizzed on whether he'd be looking to invest in a new striker this summer, following Andy Carroll's departure, and contended: “We’ve got Allan (Saint-Maximin), Joe(linton), (Miguel) Almiron. We’ve got Dwight (Gayle). We’ve got five.

“How many do you have in a squad of 22 outfield players?

“I’ve probably got to look at picking four goalkeepers in the squad, which is a little bit unheard of, but with the problems I’ve got there, that’s in the back of my mind at the minute.

“The midfield area is a must, in my opinion. We’ll look to try and strengthen there first. When everybody’s right, then I think we’ve got adequate cover up there.”

“I've said many times now, (target and former Magpies loan star Joe Willock is) Arsenal's player, Joe to decide. But there has to be a cut-off point where we can't wait forever.

“We’ve one or two other options, of course, which would be wrong if I didn't. Obviously, Joe’s our first choice. We’re encouraged to keep bashing away, but there comes a cut-off point, yeah.”

We’ve gathered the best of today’s Premier League transfer speculation below…

Meanwhile, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce was quizzed on whether he'd be looking to invest in a new striker this summer, following Andy Carroll's departure, and contended: “We’ve got Allan (Saint-Maximin), Joe(linton), (Miguel) Almiron. We’ve got Dwight (Gayle). We’ve got five.