Man Utd transfer off as Newcastle suddenly become ‘strong favourites’ for Argentine star | OneFootball

Newcastle United are now ‘strong favourites’ to sign Marcos Senesi, with Manchester United not planning a move to bring the Bournemouth defender to Old Trafford this summer, according to a report.

Our friends at TEAMtalk reported on February 18, 2026, that Newcastle are among the clubs keen on Senesi.

Senesi is out of contract at Bournemouth at the end of the season, and the signs are that he will leave the Cherries as a free agent this summer.

There is interest in the 28-year-old from Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Aston Villa, too, while Barcelona are keen on snapping up the former Feyenoord star on a free transfer this summer as well.

TuttoSport reported on February 19, 2026, that Manchester United are also ‘keen’ on Senesi, while noting Juventus’ interest in the Argentine.

Sports Boom, though, has now reported that Man Utd are not planning to make a move for Senesi, adding that Premier League rivals Newcastle are ‘strong favourites for his signature’ at the moment.

According to the report, with Man Utd and Harry Maguire expected to continue their relationship next season, there is no need for the Red Devils to sign another senior centre-back this summer.

Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven and Tyler Fredricson are the other centre-backs in the current Man Utd squad.

Sports Boom has added that Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola wants to keep Senesi at the club, but the Argentina international ‘fancies his own big move’.

Iraola has previously praised Senesi in public and has outlined how important he is to his team.

The Bournemouth boss told The Daily Echo about Senesi in December 2025: “I think Marcos has been very good.

“He was performing well even before I arrived to the club.

“I remember some games that I watched from the previous season where he performed really well.

“And with us, you know what to expect when you put Marcos in the starting lineup.

“On the ball, off the ball, he understands very well also the way we want to play and for us it’s very valuable.

“I don’t think it’s a big secret.”

When asked what Senesi brings to the team going forward, Iraola said: “I think he’s very confident on the ball and also he makes the ones next to him more confident.

“This is something that when you feel confident, the one next to you looks a little bit better and the other one looks a little bit better and is good for the team.

“He has, I think on the ball, he can play short, he can play long. His understanding of the game, I would say, even without the ball, when to press, when to drop a little bit.

“And also, for our team, he’s quite an experienced player. He has played in other leagues, has played in Europe. I think these are qualities for this team, I think are very important.”