Here are your Newcastle United headlines on Thursday 23 June...
Newcastle United make Nick Pope their second summer signing
Newcastle United have made Nick Pope their second signing of the summer transfer window. The England international joins the Magpies on a four-year deal from Burnley for a reported fee of £12m with potential add-ons.
Burnley chose to sell Pope before his contract expired next summer, with Southampton, West Ham and newly promoted Nottingham Forest all said to be interested in the Newcastle target.
But it is Newcastle who have won the race for Pope's signature, with the 30-year-old completing his move to St James' Park earlier today.
READ MORE: The players whose place could be at risk if Newcastle United land their targets
Goalkeeper is a position Newcastle did not necessarily need to strengthen this season. Martin Dubravka has had his moments at times but has for the most part been a solid Premier League shot stopper.
However, Pope and Dubravka now look set to compete for the number one jersey ahead of the Magpies Premier League season opener against Nottingham Forest.
And Pope admits he was delight to have signed for Newcastle.
"Now I'm here, I can't wait to get started," said Pope.
"The deal has taken a couple of weeks to come to fruition but it got over the line really quickly, and I'm delighted to be here and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into it."
Hugo Ekitike deal surrounded in mystery
While Nick Pope looks set to join Newcastle this summer, Reims striker Hugo Ekitike's move to Tyneside looks to be in doubt after fresh reports emerged the Magpies were set to pull out of the deal.
Ekitike was someone Newcastle identified in January, with the 20-year-old almost joining the club in the winter transfer window.
While the French forward opted to stay in Ligue 1, Newcastle decided to renew their interest in the striker this summer, with a deal of around £25m thought to have been agreed with Reims.
However, ChronicleLive understands the major sticking point in the deal is Ekitike's agent, Karl Buchmann's fees. While Reims are now happy to sell, Buchmann has frustrated the deal to the point that is could collapse the entire transfer.
Newcastle have not yet fully given up on signing Ekitike, but the transfer saga now looks set to rumble on.
Newcastle stadium plan is already under way
Newcastle United's summer refurbishment of St James' Park is now underway.
There have already been a host of changes since Mike Ashley departed Tyneside last year. The unpopular Sports Direct signs are now long gone, NINE bar has been renamed Shearer's and the statue of the legendary striker has been moved onto St James' Park grounds.
Now the club are set to go about improving the match day experience for supporters around the ground before the start of the new season.
Photographs have emerged on social media this week of newly-painted walls in black and white club colours in one of the concourses in the Gallowgate and new flags being hung above the kiosks.
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