Newcastle United’s ‘negotiations’ for Atlético Madrid forward Yannick Carrasco are focused on a deal for the summer, not deadline day.
That’s according to journalist Loic Tanzi, who says the Belgian ‘will not leave Atlético this winter’ despite reports of a potential move to St James Park.
Newcastle are expected to be the busiest club on deadline day as Eddie Howe and co. look to wrap up a number of deals to strengthen their squad for the fight against relegation.
Carrasco had emerged as surprise target in the last few hours, with reports stating that both they and Newcastle were ‘very interested’ in a move.
This was followed by claims that the pair were ‘ready to pay’ Carrasco’s €60m release clause at the Wanda Metropolitano and that ‘contractual talks’ had already started.
Tanzi pours a big bucket of cold water over those claims, though, stating that while ‘negotiations’ are underway between Carrasco and Newcastle they ‘focus on next summer’.
He states confidently that Carrasco ‘will not leave’ Atlético Madrid this month.
It seems those initial reports were a little wide of the mark then, with the Magpies instead eyeing the Belgian as part of their summer recruitment drive.
We can probably put this transfer rumour to one side as a result, with far more exciting things happening around St James Park in terms of other players arriving.
Les négociations pour Yannick Carrasco à Newcastle porte sur l’été prochain. Le Belge ne partira pas cet hiver de l’Atletico #Mercato #RMCLive
— Loïc Tanzi (@Tanziloic) January 31, 2022
