Newcastle plot stunning €140m raid on European giants as Eddie Howe eyes future domination

Newcastle United are apparently plotting a high-profile move on Sporting Lisbon for two of their greatest players.

Eddie Howe is looking to strengthen his defense by bringing in competition for Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, and Jamal Lascelles.

Newcastle appear to have identified Sporting defenders Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande as important transfer targets.

Both players have excelled in recent seasons and are still relatively young, with Inacio being 22 and Diomande being 19 years old.

Inacio and Diomande have made 11 league appearances for Sporting this season, contributing to four clean sheets.

The duo’s performances haven’t gone unnoticed either. West Ham, Liverpool, and Arsenal are all interested in Inacio, as previously reported by TEAMtalk.

 

 

Diomande, on the other hand, has surfaced as a target for Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea, as well as Newcastle.

Newcastle may now make bids for both players, who may be good long-term additions to their back line.

Newcastle plot moves for Inacio and Diomande

Inacio is a priority target for Newcastle, according to Portuguese outlets O Jogo and Record, although he will face competition from Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain for his signature.

The excellent defender is currently one of Europe’s most in-demand players. Sporting do not want to sell him, and any interested team will have to pay Inacio’s release clause of €60 million (approx. £52.6 million) to complete a move.

As previously said, Diomande has piqued the curiosity of the Premier League. He also has a release clause in his contract, which is set at €80 million (about £70 million).

As a result, Newcastle would almost certainly have to spend a combined fee of €140 million (about £122.6 million) to bring in both Inacio and Diomande anytime soon.

Because of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability criteria, Newcastle will most likely be able to spend that much on the duo at the end of the season rather than in the forthcoming January window.

Nonetheless, it will be intriguing to watch if the Magpies put Sporting’s determination to the test this winter by making an offer for one or both of the players. If they are successful in luring both Inacio and Diomande to St James’ Park, they will have a formidable defence for many years to come.