The latest transfer talk from St James’ Park as Newcastle look to bolster their attacking options
Newcastle United are expected to add at least one more attacking option to their ranks following the £10m capture of youngster William Osula from Sheffield United earlier in the summer.
However, the bulk of Newcastle funds are expected to be spent on a central defender due to long-term injuries to Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.
As it stands, the recruitment team are frantically working to secure the services of £65m rated defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.The Magpies recently had a bid of around £50m rejected for the England defender but have upped the ante with an undisclosed third offer which is believed to be closer to Palace’s valuation.
Newcastle are likely to invest the majority of their budget in an effort to sign Guehi, leaving a smaller portion of funds available for the right winger position. However, one star that could be of interest to the Magpies, according to NUFC Blog, is Colombian youngster Yaser Asprilla, who is thought to be available for a fee of around £25m.
The 20-year-old Watford ace is the son of Newcastle’s 1997 Champions League hat-trick hero Faustino Asprilla. He emerged as a product of the famous Envigado youth academy in his homeland, following in the footsteps of the likes of James Rodriguez, Jhon Duran and Mateus Uribe, who have all gone to represent Colombia at international level.
Asprilla was a standout performer for several seasons in Colombia before capturing the attention of Watford boss Rob Edwards in August 2022. The winger made 37 Championship appearances in his first season whilst largely playing as an impact substitute, before emerging as a key asset in his second season.
Last term, Asprilla recorded six goals and seven assists in 44 appearances and was one his team’s most consistent performers throughout last season. The youngster is blessed with great technical ability, an eye for goal and incredible pace to run at defenders. His form last season has made him a target for a host of team’s in recent months, including French side Rennes, newly promoted Leicester City, along with Everton, FC Porto and Girona.
Rennes are the leading contenders for his signature after a successful £25m bid, but talks over a move to France have stalled in recent months and The Mirror has claimed that there is a chance the deal could collapse due to personal terms.
Asprilla is a bright prospect, who plays on the right wing, and could prove to be the ideal replacement for Yankuba Minteh after his departure to Brighton.
