Arsenal and Aston Villa stars react to Harvey Barnes’ message as ‘Newcastle plan to accept offer’
Arsenal and Aston Villa players were quick to react to Harvey Barnes’ latest update away from Newcastle as uncertainty over his future at St James’ Park grows.
Barnes worked his way into Eddie Howe’s starting side towards the back end of last season, often preferred to Anthony Gordon on the left flank.
Despite that, the winger had to settle for a rotational role for most of the campaign, starting just 17 Premier League matches in total.
His limited minutes have now sparked transfer interest, with Football Insider revealing Newcastle are planning to accept offers for Barnes, provided they can bring in a replacement during the summer window.
Amid ongoing speculation, the 27-year-old shared an update with supporters on social media, showing glimpses of his activities away from the club.
Harvey Barnes shares off-season update amid Aston Villa interest
Barnes shared a glimpse of his time away from football, posting a series of holiday pictures to Instagram with the simple caption: “Off-season.”
The post quickly attracted attention from players across the Premier League, with Declan Rice, Jamie Vardy, and teammate Sven Botman all leaving heart emojis in response.
Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans also liked the post, which some have seen as a possible hint towards a future transfer.
Football Insider previously revealed back in May that Aston Villa had identified Barnes as a potential alternative to Marcus Rashford, with Unai Emery’s side monitoring attacking options.
Barnes only joined Newcastle from Leicester City in 2023 in a £38 million deal but a desire for regular first-team football may now prompt an exit.
Newcastle closing in on Anthony Elanga deal
While Barnes’ future remains uncertain, the Magpies appear to be making progress in their search for attacking reinforcements.
Newcastle are reportedly close to finalising a deal for Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga, with the fee expected to be around £55 million.
It follows former chief scout Mick Brown telling Football Insider on 8 May that Newcastle could cash in on Barnes to help fund a new signing.
The arrival of Elanga is likely to reduce Barnes’ minutes further on either flank, potentially paving the way for his departure in this transfer window.