Newcastle have offered a player plus cash deal to Bournemouth in an attempt to secure the signing of Callum Wilson, with Aston Villa also interested in the striker, a report from Sky Sports has claimed.
Wilson looks to be a man in demand from Premier League clubs this summer following Bournemouth’s relegation to the Championship, and with the Magpies desperately in need of some more quality in front of goal, it seems they have now made their move in an attempt to secure the services of the 28-year-old.
According to the latest reports, Newcastle have held talks over a deal that would see midfielder Matt Ritchie leave St James’ Park to return to Bournemouth, with the Magpies paying some fee on top of that to bring Wilson in the opposite direction.
Ritchie is of course no stranger to Bournemouth, having spent three-and-a-half years at the club between 2013 and 2016, helping them win promotion from League One through to the Premier League in that time.
In contrast to Newcastle’s offer, Villa’s bid for Wilson is thought to be made up only of cash, and it remains to be seen just where Wilson will play his football next season.
Tottenham and West Ham have also recently been credited with an interest in Wilson, who has three years remaining on his current contract at The Vitality Stadium.
Having already seen some key players leave this summer, it could be argued that Newcastle’s player plus cash deal has something of an advantage here.
With Nathan Ake and Aaron Ramsdale already leaving for big fees, not to mention the parachute payments they will have received from relegation, the fact that a number of players have left the club without any new ones coming in, means they are in need of signings sooner rather than later.
That therefore could work in Newcastle’s favour, with the arrival of a player who they already know with proven ability in the shape of Ritchie a potentially appealing one to the Cherries, which could then give Steve Bruce’s side just the lift they need in their attempts to sign a striker such as Wilson.