Newcastle United have been long-term admirers of Harvey Barnes with transfer talks expected to take place this week. The Magpies have seemingly emerged as the frontrunners for the Leicester City forward, although an agreement has not yet been reached.
Barnes enjoyed another productive campaign last term despite the Foxes' relegation, netting 16 times in all competitions to finish as the club's top scorer. The loss of Premier League revenue means the one-cap England international is almost certain to follow James Maddison out of the exit door this window.
Reports from the weekend suggesting a move was close appear to be wide of the mark, although Eddie Howe looks to have identified Barnes as an ideal addition to his frontline options. Jordan Blackwell, Leicester City correspondent for sister title LeicestershireLive, reckons the Magpies have taken the lead ahead of two Premier League rivals in the race to land the winger.
Blackwell told ChronicleLive: "It does seem the interest from Newcastle has stepped up a little bit in the past week to 10 days. I think before that, it felt like Aston Villa and West Ham were the two teams at the front of the queue, but I would probably Newcastle at the front of that now.
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"He's still in training with Leicester, so nothing is imminent. Barnes with Maddison were Leicester's most valuable assets, and they have to free up space on the wage bill and sell a number of players."
Barnes along with former team-mate Maddison have regularly been linked with a move to St James' Park since the Magpies' takeover in October 2021, although the latter opted to sign for Tottenham last month. Given Newcastle are already well-stocked on the left flank, the renewed interest caught some within the Toon Army by surprise.
Howe has not only called for 'elite' reinforcements but also versatile options, with January signing Anthony Gordon already proving himself capable of playing in any of the forward roles or in midfield. Barnes does not fit the second requirement, with the prospective signing being brought in with one position in mind.
Blackwell said: "That left-wing position would be his, I don't think he would play anywhere else and I don't think he would be successful in any other position. I do think he would be a success, he has really honed his game and he is able to show off his best qualities.
"He is at a point where he knows his strengths, and he is able to produce them more often. Even though Leicester finished 18th, he finished top scorer and it was his best goalscoring season.
"In terms of his general threat in games, he probably wasn't as difficult to deal with as he was a couple of years ago when Leicester finished fifth and won the FA Cup. That season, his all-round threat and the problems he caused was probably more than the season just gone. But his ability in the box and the final third, that's what has improved and where he has really developed his game."
Newcastle have enjoyed success in a settled 4-3-3 formation under Howe, with the head coach at times changing system mid-match to introduce an extra striker. But if Barnes was to make the move to the North East, how could his new team-mates and coaches bring out the best in the transfer target?
Blackwell explained: "You need people around him as in he works best when he has someone to play a one-two with. I know it's a very specific skill but I'd say he is one of the best in the country for that.
"With Leicester, he worked best when he had Iheanacho up front as he was better type of striker for that role. He would play with his back to goal, although Vardy and Daka got used to doing that. When they had Dewsbury-Hall, he ventured into positions where he played one-twos with Barnes.
"For any Newcastle fans wondering what to look for in Barnes, the goal in the final game of the season against West Ham, that is classic Barnes. That is what you are going to get from him. It was a really good one-two and a nice finish from a tight angle, that is where he has really improved since he first came into the team, that composure in the box, he stays calm and does not get flustered when he is through one-on-one."
Newcastle's renewed interest in Barnes has raised inevitable questions over the future of Allan Saint-Maximin. The fan favourite is beloved on Tyneside, but has been reduced to a bit-part role since Howe's appointment.
The Telegraph claim the Magpies are considering a sale of their number 10 in order to fund a move for Barnes. While it would be the case of replacing one left-sided forward, Blackwell insists they are very different players.
The Foxes correspondent said:" He is probably the complete opposite to Saint-Maximin, Saint-Maximin will do a stepover and completely bamboozle defenders. That is not Barnes, he relies on link-ups and pure speed to get by his men.
"He has made himself difficult to stop because he can play the one-two if defenders come close. If they don't close him down, he can cut inside and try and bend a shot to the far corner like his goal against Nottingham Forest. He has a very specific style of play, but when you look in the past at players like Arjen Robben, they can hone that style of play to the point where even though everyone knows what he is going to do, it is still very difficult to stop."
All of the above however is not to suggest Barnes is without his flaws. The 25-year-old has evolved his game in recent seasons to become more ruthless in the final third, but inconsistencies in other areas of the pitch have at times frustrated the Foxes' faithful.
Tom, with Leicester Fan TV, said: "He’s been brilliant since breaking in to the team over the last four years. Barnes' strengths are all about getting one on one with his full back. If you get the ball to him quickly, he can cause damage.
"The biggest frustration would be it takes him six to 10 games to get back to any form after an injury. Also if he’s not having a great game, he can just disappear."
Since qualification for the Champions League was confirmed, Newcastle have been linked with a number of high-profile attacking targets including Federico Chiesa and Moussa Diaby. Barnes may not boast the same reputation, although his attacking returns over the last four seasons statistically put him alongside a number of England stars including Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford.
Newcastle have already enjoyed recent success from targeting players from relegated sides with the likes of Nick Pope and Callum Wilson. Blackwell feels there is a tendency to 'overlook' Barnes despite his goalscoring record, and feels working with Howe could take the forward to another level.
He added: "He is a player that has developed areas of his game every season. I do think there is more to get out of him, he can be a bigger threat more often. He could maybe make slightly better decisions and not run into trouble as often. He is still young enough to develop that side of his game.
"He is one of those players that does seem to go under the radar a little bit, if you look at his goalscoring record, he has been one of the most consistent attacking English players in the past four seasons. But because he has only had one England cap, he does seem to be overlooked. Maybe he has been overshadowed by Maddison, and maybe because he has been providing that end product and maybe not that threat in the game.
"If Newcastle were looking at him as someone who can contribute and someone who can improve, he is definitely a sensible purchase. I don't think there should be any concerns because he is not a bigger name as some of the others, he has delivered but perhaps under the radar."
However, it is no foregone conclusion that Barnes will sign for Newcastle in this window. The Magpies are once again at odds with Leicester over a valuation, with the former walking away from a deal for Maddison earlier in the window.
Aston Villa should not be discounted as a potential destination either, despite the lure of Champions League football. The Foxes were hoping to bank a combined fee of £100 million for Barnes and Maddison just a year ago, but the club will now likely settle for a far lower fee for the forward.
Blackwell said: "From what I understand, Villa is an attractive option for him. Newcastle have the Champions League to offer which none of the others can, but Villa would be the least upheaval in terms of his family life. His partner is pregnant, little things like that do make Villa more attractive as well as having European football to offer too.
"I think they would have looked at Barnes as a £40m player a year ago, he still has two years left on his contract which gives them more wiggle room in comparison to Maddison. I think there certainly would be disappointment from the fanbase if they didn't get at least £30m, but I think Leicester will be hoping for £35m to £40m."
