EPL: Newcastle announces signing of Harvey Barnes
Newcastle United have completed the signing of 25-year-old winger Harvey Barnes from relegated Leicester City.
Barnes who signed a five-year contract that will run till June 2028, joined the Magpies for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £39m. The 25-year-old arrives from the Foxes after a long chase for his services with Eddie Howe a long-term admirer of the Lancashire-born player.
Speaking to Newcastle’s website, Harvey Barnes said;
“I’m delighted. It’s an amazing club and for me it’s a massive opportunity to come and be involved in a successful team that’s doing exciting things, so I’m absolutely buzzing to be here.
“I think it’s an attacker’s dream to come into a team like this; it’s high paced, it’s physically demanding, but you can see the rewards of that with the chances and the goals scored, so I think I’ll certainly suit the style.”
Barnes, who travelled to Tyneside last week to undergo a medical, is the third addition to a squad which finished fourth in last season’s Premier League with AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali and Odense striker Yankuba Minteh, who has been sent out on loan to Feyenoord, having arrived earlier this month.
A graduate of the Foxes’ Academy, he made 187 appearances for the club, which was relegated to the Sky Bet Championship at the end of last season, and is an FA Cup winner as well as a full England international.
Despite scoring 13 Premier League goals last season Barnes could not prevent Leicester from being relegated to the Championship and was also courted by Aston Villa, Tottenham, and West Ham this summer before opting to join Howe.
Although Newcastle’s Saudi Arabian majority owners are nothing if not wealthy, their room for transfer market manoeuvre this summer is restricted by Financial Fair Play regulations and Howe appears resigned to postponing his attempts to sign an extra centre-forward until at least January.
