Newcastle United have put the feelers out for Harvey Barnes at Leicester, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting via Caught Offside that there are “contacts” from the Toon over a deal.
How good is Harvey Barnes?
The winger starred for Leicester in the 2022/23 season and despite the Foxes being relegated down to the Championship, the youngster shone. He played in 34 Premier League games for the side and contributed 13 goals with one assist along the way, but it wasn’t enough to keep his side up. It was though, his best ever goal haul – showing that when the going got tough with his side, he was able to produce the goods.
In fact, the 25-year-old has never ventured away from Leicester on a permanent basis. The only times he has ever played for a club other than the Foxes has been out on various loan spells. He broke onto the scene as an 18-year-old during a stint with MK Dons in League One and was also given a go in the Championship by Barnsley. After bagging six and five goals respectively for each of those teams, he really found his feet in the second tier with West Brom five years ago. That led to him earning a spot in the Foxes first-team upon his return and he hasn’t looked back since.
Are Newcastle United signing Harvey Barnes?
With the side now facing the prospect of at least a season in the second tier though, it means that he could be available, with plenty of clubs higher up the pyramid now sniffing around him. One such side is Newcastle, with the Toon certainly showing a keen interest in bringing Barnes back to the Premier League.
Now, it appears things are slightly further forward for the club, with reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting via Caught Offside that the side have “contacts” over the player but that nothing is “advanced” as of yet. He stated: “Barnes is appreciated by Newcastle. At the moment it’s not particularly close or advanced, but there are contacts, as he’s one of the players they like.”
The England man has showcased his ability in producing the goods at the highest level already, having regularly hit the back of the net over the course of his top flight career. He has a total of 35 Premier League goals to his name for example, with 25 assists to go alongside it. With a goal contribution tally of 60 in 113 starts then, it means his rate stands at an impressive 0.55 – meaning he averages one or the other, every other game.
If Newcastle were to add him to their ranks then, it could be another boost for their squad as they look to challenge in both the league and in Europe. Journalist Josh Bunting has been full of praise for the forward, as he called a strike from the 25-year-old earlier this season “stunning” and “important” for the Foxes. And whilst he wasn’t able to keep them up, he did show he could help lead a team from the front line – and now the Toon seemingly want him to help their attack too.
