‘Looking At Other Targets Since Friday’ – Newcastle United Move On | OneFootball

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Newcastle United have been ‘looking at other targets since Friday’ amid real fears that Johan Manzambi will now move to Aston Villa and not St James’ Park.

It emerged on Sunday that Aston Villa are now real competitors for Manzambi’s signature, despite Newcastle having agreed a fee with Freiburg for the Swiss international midfielder.

And in what is a fast moving transfer saga, it appears that Manzambi does indeed want to go to Villa Park rather than switch to Newcastle, meaning he is likely to end up playing for Unai Emery next season.

Newcastle look to have been ahead of the possibility though, in what is some consolation for Magpies supporters, and have been looking at alternative targets since before the weekend.

Journalist Luke Edwards wrote on X: “BREAKING Looks like Aston Villa have swooped into sign Manzambi.

“Newcastle have been looking at other targets since Friday. Another blow.”

How far advanced Newcastle are for other midfield targets and who they might be still remains to be seen, but Eddie Howe will want the Magpies to act quickly if Manzambi is indeed out of reach.

Newcastle have been showing interest in Fiorentina midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, though amid that interest, La Viola coach Fabio Grosso has warned he sees the player as being at the heart of his project.

A substantial bid on the part of Newcastle though could well focus minds at Fiorentina and cause the club to consider letting Fagioli go.

A promising young Italian midfielder, Newcastle could be tempted by pulling off the same kind of trick they managed when landing Sandro Tonali.

The Magpies are also admirers of Juventus midfielder Khephren Thuram and have made preliminary enquiries about signing him.

Juventus are looking at potentially offloading Thuram to help fill a financial shortfall caused by not qualifying for the Champions League.

The Bianconeri would likely want around €50m for the Frenchman and that sum should be well within reach for Newcastle if they want to proceed.

Now looking to have lost out in the race for Manzambi, Newcastle must work quickly on future deals, with the risk of hijacks from fellow Premier League sides, after the club have done much of the work establishing the basis of the transfer, a real worry.