Harvey Barnes has said his move to Newcastle United represents a “massive opportunity” after completing a £38 million transfer from Leicester City on Sunday.
The 25-year-old winger is Eddie Howe’s second major signing of a summer which has already seen the Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali arrive at St James’ Park from Milan for £50m.
Barnes has signed a five-year contract in the northeast, where he hopes the chance to play Champions League football next season can help him add to his one England cap.
“I’m delighted,” he said. “It’s an amazing club and, for me, it’s a massive opportunity to be involved in a successful team that’s doing exciting things, so I’m absolutely buzzing to be here.
“I think it’s an attacker’s dream to come into a team like this; it’s high-paced, it’s physically demanding but you can see the reward of that with the chances created and goals scored. I certainly think I’ll suit Newcastle’s style.”
Howe seemed equally delighted to sign a wide forward who appears destined to replace the Saudi Arabia-bound winger Allan Saint-Maximin on Tyneside. Saint-Maximin is finalising a switch to Al-Ahli for a fee in the region of £30m.
“Harvey is an exciting talent who I have admired for a long time so I’m delighted to welcome him to Newcastle,” said Howe. “He’s strong, quick and very good technically, and he showed last season, in particular, that he has an eye for goal from wide positions.”
Despite scoring 13 Premier League goals last season Barnes could not prevent Leicester from being relegated to the Championship and was also courted by Aston Villa, Tottenham and West Ham this summer before opting to join Howe.
Although Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian majority owners are nothing if not wealthy, their room for transfer market manoeuvre this summer is restricted by Financial Fair Play regulations and Howe appears resigned to postponing his attempts to sign an extra centre-forward until at least January.
Newcastle’s manager does, however, remain very much in the market for an additional right-sided centre-half and continues to try to prise the full-back Tino Livramento away from Southampton while also exploring the possibility of further strengthening his midfield.
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Wilfried Zaha, meanwhile, will join Turkish champions Galatasaray on a free transfer after leaving Crystal Palace.
The winger has had numerous options over the summer after spending eight seasons at Selhurst Park in a second spell at the club where he started his career but has opted to move to Galatasaray on a three-year deal with the prospect of playing in the Champions League an enticing one for the Ivory Coast international.
Zaha confirmed on Sunday evening he was making his way to Istanbul with the expectation the deal will be completed on Monday.
Galatasaray won the Super Lig for the first time in four years last season and will enter the Champions League in the third qualifying round next month, so will need to win two ties to reach the group stages of the competition.
Galatasaray fought off interest from a number of clubs and the offer of staying at Crystal Palace. Lazio, Fenerbahce and Al-Nassr all made attempts to sign Zaha, while Palace had offered him £200,000 a week to extend his time at Selhurst Park by a further four years. It is understood his wages at Galatasaray will be lower than what he would have earned in the Premier League or Saudi Arabia.
Zaha returned to Crystal Palace permanently in 2015 after a loan spell from Manchester United. He had originally come up through the club’s academy but was sold to United in 2013 but struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford and returned to south London where he has been a key reason behind Palace maintaining their Premier League status ever since. – Guardian
