‘Aston Villa in busy race for Newcastle star Harvey Barnes in surprise update’
Aston Villa are in the race to sign Newcastle United’s Harvey Barnes as a shock update emerges ahead of the summer transfer window.
The winger has experienced a standout last few weeks after Anthony Gordon dropped out of the Newcastle lineup, clearly being punished following his red card against Brighton in March.
He now has nine goals and four assists to his name, with seven of those coming in the last nine matches across all competitions, and that form has caught the attention of those elsewhere in the Premier League.
Having come through the Leicester City academy, Barnes accumulated 187 appearances, 45 goals, and 32 assists before earning his move to St James’ Park in the summer of 2023.
However, he may not be a Magpie for much longer after the latest transfer update emerging from Villa Park ahead of the summer transfer window.
Harvey Barnes wanted at Villa Park
According to the Daily Mail‘s Craig Hope (8 May), a number of Premier League clubs are very interested in signing Barnes this summer, with Villa included in the race for his signature.
The 27-year-old was expected to depart St James’ Park during the winter transfer window, with Mick Brown telling Football Insider in January that Newcastle would have to accept offers for Barnes due to their financial position.
Now, it appears that interest has re-emerged in the former Leicester man ahead of the summer.
Villa, however, are facing the threat of Profit and Sustainability Rules playing a part in their transfer plans, so it remains to be seen if a swap deal would be needed to make the transfer happen.
| Player | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Harvey Barnes | 60 | 14 | 8 |
Unai Emery already targeting Marcus Rashford replacement for Aston Villa
Football Insider verdict
Without the permanent signing of Marcus Rashford for Villa this summer, one of Unai Emery’s weakest positions is, arguably, the left wing heading into the transfer market.
Leon Bailey is often slammed for his performances, and given Jacob Ramsey’s troubles with staying fit, Rashford’s injury has already been a big enough blow for the Villans.
It is unclear whether or not the Man United loanee will return to Villa Park on a permanent basis, so Emery might just be covering his bases to ensure his team strengthen in the right areas.
Barnes is certainly a decent alternative for a team fighting to qualify for the Champions League and push further up the Premier League table, bringing plenty of experience with him.
The current Newcastle attacker should be recording better numbers in general, but after being given a real opportunity by Eddie Howe, he has soared higher than many expected in recent weeks.
PSR could come into play again, much like it was expected to in the last transfer window, with both clubs fighting to stay above the dotted line when it comes to financial punishments in England.