Harvey Barnes Transfer News: Newcastle United Seals Deal for Leicester City Forward

Newcastle are nearing a deal with Leicester for Harvey Barnes, making him the probable replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin at St James' Park. Although the fee has not been finalized yet, the two clubs are getting closer in terms of valuation. Ongoing discussions involve determining the payment structure.

Saint-Maximin is close to finalizing a move to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia, a transfer that could potentially earn Newcastle a substantial sum of £40m. This would not only alleviate their worries regarding Financial Fair Play compliance but also furnish them with the essential funds to pursue the Barnes deal.

Leicester initially wanted £40m for the 25-year-old, while Newcastle aimed for a deal around £30m. However, there seems to be a potential compromise now, with a fee falling between those two amounts.

Barnes is reportedly interested in joining the North East club and is attracted to the idea of playing in the Champions League instead of the Championship.

There is no expectation that personal terms would pose a problem if Newcastle and Leicester can reach a consensus. Eddie Howe refrained from commenting on the Barnes negotiations after the pre-season victory against Rangers on Tuesday, although he did allude to Saint-Maximin's imminent departure from Tyneside.

Image:

Allan Saint-Maximin is on the verge of finalizing a transfer to Al-Ahli, a team from the Saudi Pro League.

"If we refused to sell Maxi, it would limit our ability to bring in Sandro [Tonali], so we had no choice," explained Howe.

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on We' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on We News.