Newcastle United ‘Returned To The Charge’ For €85m Star As Bruno Guimaraes Replacement Eyed | OneFootball

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Newcastle United have ‘returned to the charge’ for FC Porto midfielder Victor Froholdt, although the Portuguese champions will only negotiate for a fee close to his €85m release clause.

The Magpies endured a disappointing campaign last season, finishing in mid-table and missing out on European qualification, forcing the club to cash in on several key players to fund a rebuild.

Anthony Gordon was the first major departure, joining Barcelona before the World Cup, while Sandro Tonali’s move to Tottenham Hotspur soon after left a sizeable void in the heart of Eddie Howe’s midfield.

Newcastle responded by signing teenager Sean Steur from Ajax and defensive midfielder Aladji Bamba from Monaco, but another influential figure has now emerged as a target for one of their Premier League rivals.

Bruno Guimaraes has attracted strong interest from Arsenal this month, with the Gunners recently returning with an improved offer, making an exit appear increasingly possible.

Unable to guarantee the Brazilian’s future beyond the current transfer window, Howe has reignited Newcastle’s pursuit of a midfielder the club were said to be ‘in love’ with back in May.

According to Portuguese daily Correio da Manha, Newcastle have ‘returned to the charge’ for Froholdt, although Porto will only consider offers that come close to the midfielder’s €85m release clause.

The 20-year-old Dane is under contract with the Dragons until 2030, putting the club in a commanding negotiating position as they stand firm on their valuation.

Froholdt only arrived in Portugal last summer after winning both the Danish Superliga title and the Danish Cup with Copenhagen, and he quickly made his mark during his debut Primeira Liga campaign.

The midfielder featured 51 times in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists as Porto went on to lift the Portuguese title.

That triumph also secured Champions League football, meaning persuading Froholdt to swap Porto for a Newcastle side without European competition could prove a difficult task.

It remains to be seen whether the Magpies formalise their interest with an offer despite Porto’s lofty asking price, or instead turn their attention towards alternative midfield targets.