Newcastle are close to signing Bruno Guimarães from Lyon after the defensive midfielder agreed to the move and the French club accepted a €40m (£33.5m) bid.
Subject to details involving agents and the clubs being finalised, Guimarães will take a medical when he returns to Brazil from Ecuador, where he is with his national team for Thursday’s World Cup qualifier. Payments terms are among the issues still to be resolved between the teams.
Other clubs, including Arsenal and Juventus, had hoped to buy Guimarães at the end of the season but Newcastle have got in ahead of them. The player joined Lyon in January 2020 from the Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense.
Newcastle have had a bid for the Brighton defender Dan Burn rejected as their pursuit of a central defender continued. The offer for the 29-year-old is understood to have been about £9m.
Newcastle turned to Burn because Sevilla remain adamant they will not sell Diego Carlos. An earlier attempt to sign Sven Botman from Lille was also unsuccessful.
Jesse Lingard is prominent on Newcastle’s list to strengthen in forward areas but Manchester United’s demands have left a proposed loan on the verge of collapse.
Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood have been the first two signings of the Saudi Arabian-led era at St James’ Park.
