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Sources: Newcastle planning to pounce for Leicester City star Harvey Barnes
Newcastle are among the Premier League clubs ready to pounce for midfielder Harvey Barnes if Leicester City are relegated this season, sources have told Football Insider.
The Magpies believe they can secure a bargain deal for the 25-year-old if the Foxes drop down to the Championship.
It is believed Leicester will find it tough to keep hold of Barnes in the event of relegation.
That is despite Barnes having more than two years left to run on his current contract at the King Power Stadium, which nets him a reported wage of £40,000-a-week.
The 25-year-old is not the only Leicester star interesting Newcastle ahead of the summer window.
Football Insider revealed on 7 April that the Magpies are preparing to enter a bidding war for captain James Maddison in the off-season.
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It is believed that Tottenham lead the race for Maddison, while Liverpool are also interested in a summer swoop.
Barnes and Maddison are key men for Leicester and have made their first England appearances while at the King Power Stadium – as well as helping the club to FA Cup victory in 2021.
This season, Barnes has already notched a career-high 10 Premier League goals across 28 top-flight appearances.
The Leicester academy product has racked up 140 top-division appearances since making his breakthrough at the club in 2019, scoring 32 goals and notching 25 assists.
However, the one-time top-flight winners are currently staring down the barrel of potential relegation to the Championship.
The Foxes sit 19th in the table and are two points from safety with eight games remaining this term.
Long-serving boss Brendan Rodgers was sacked earlier this month – and former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has been tasked with saving the club from the drop.
Meanwhile, Newcastle sit third in the Premier League and are well-placed to secure Champions League football for the 2023-24 campaign.
In other news, Newcastle have “concrete” interest in Championship star after £30m bid tabled.