Who is Mandela Keita? Everything Newcastle fans need to know as Parma 'talks' open
Newcastle have joined the race to sign Parma midfielder Mandela Keita this summer as negotiations reportedly begin with the Serie A club.
Eddie Howe is rebuilding his midfield this summer after Sandro Tonali left for Tottenham for £100million in early July.
Bruno Guimaraes has also been heavily linked with a move away this summer, with Arsenal keen on signing the Brazil star.
Newcastle have moved to bolster Howe's midfield ranks already, with Sean Steur brought in from Ajax for £23m last week.
Parma star Keita is an apparent target for the Magpies, with reports from Italy claiming that they have begun talks over a move.
The Serie A side are believed to want around £21m for his services, with Leeds, Everton and Aston Villa all also previously linked.
Mandela Keita's career so far as Newcastle move touted
Keita was born in Leuven, Belgium, and named after South African leader Nelson Mandela, while he wears his own first name on the back of his shirt because it reminds him to never give up.
He cites Ronaldinho as his main footballing idol after supporting Barcelona as a child, while he admits that he draws inspiration from N'Golo Kante and Frenkie De Jong for his own game.
Keita's career started at local side OH Leuven, where he made his professional debut in 2021 after coming through their academy ranks.
The right-footed defensive midfielder, who stands at five feet and 10 inches tall, played 41 times for his boyhood club between 2021 and 2023 before joining Royal Antwerp on loan in January of the latter year.
He helped Antwerp win their first top-flight league title in 66 years that season, while they also won the Belgian Cup.
Another loan followed in 2023-24 as he made his Champions League debut and international bow for Belgium, and he was then sold by Leuven to Parma for around £10m.
Keita has made 70 appearances for Parma in the last two seasons, with one goal and three assists from holding midfield.
He helped the Yellow and Blue finish 16th upon their return to Serie A in 2024-25, while they improved under former Arsenal assistant Carlos Cuesta to come 13th last season.
How much do Newcastle want for Guimaraes?
With Tonali having already left for a hefty fee, Newcastle are not desperate for cash and have no plans to sell Guimaraes this summer.
Arsenal have been admirers for several months, after shock links to his services emerged on Deadline Day of the January window.
Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Newcastle are demanding around £80m for Guimaraes this summer in an effort to ward off the Gunners' interest.
Recent reports have claimed that intermediaries had suggested that the Newcastle captain could be signed for £50m, but he will not be leaving for such a fee this summer.