Newcastle United 'will be looking' at Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes this summer as Eddie Howe seeks to strengthen his squad in the summer at St James' Park, according to journalist Keith Downie.
What's the latest transfer news involving Harvey Barnes?
As per Football Insider, Leicester City are set to demand over £50 million for Barnes this summer, regardless of whether they stay in the Premier League or suffer relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.
The outlet report that Newcastle United are keen on the 25-year-old, who is also attracting attention from Tottenham Hotspur and a number of clubs in the English top flight.
90min claimed last month that the Magpies were tracking Barnes ahead of the off-season as they plan to 'invest heavily' in squad additions in order for Howe to beef up depth on Tyneside ahead of 2023/24.
Barnes is open to a new challenge and is willing to leave the King Power Stadium and could be joined by teammate James Maddison, who has also attracted interest in his services, namely from Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Downie thinks that Newcastle should be targeting players like Barnes and Maddison as they prepare for next term: “For any of these players, Newcastle must be an appealing place to come right now, with everything you see on matchdays.
“They could be playing Champions League football next season, and the club is on the rise. Without a doubt, those are the sort of players Newcastle will be looking to bring in.
“The biggest challenge is whether they can fit into the wage structure.”
How has Harvey Barnes faired for Leicester City this season?
Barnes, who has been described as almost being a "superstar", has been a rare bright spark for Leicester City this season, though he may not be able to dig them out of their relegation trouble.
In 2022/23, the England international has made 38 appearances in all competitions, registering 12 goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.
WhoScored shows that Barnes has been a constant offensive threat for the Foxes this term, managing to take an average of 2.2 shots per match in the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly, his high goal tally means that Barnes, compared to his positional peers, ranks favourably in the metric of non-penalty goals across Europe's top five divisions, as he has achieved 0.40 per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, placing the £35k-a-week ace in the tenth percentile for this statistical curation, as per FBRef.
Newcastle United may need to enter the market for a winger this summer as uncertainty over the future of Allan Saint-Maximin continues and Barnes could fit the bill as a capable replacement.
