Newcastle set to accelerate Fikayo Tomori chase this week

Newcastle United‘s summer has been a rollercoaster of exits and upheaval, but a gap in the market has now opened up that could hand Matthias Jaissle an unexpected boost this week, with AC Milan reportedly starting a fire sale that puts long-term target Fikayo Tomori back in play.

Newcastle rebuilding in wake of Guimaraes exit

It’s been a brutal few months at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe has departed after almost five years in charge, Anthony Gordon has been sold to Barcelona, Sandro Tonali has become Tottenham’s record signing and Bruno Guimaraes has now followed his midfield partner to North London, joining Arsenal.

Add in growing uncertainty over Lewis Hall’s future earlier this summer, and it’s fair to say Newcastle have found themselves in a genuine state of flux heading into the new campaign.

For all the doom and gloom, there are genuine reasons for optimism at Newcastle too. Matthias Jaissle has been appointed to lead the rebuild, and after a spell of uncertainty, Hall has seemingly committed his future to the club as Manchester United turn their attention towards young Spaniard Jorge Salinas.

There’s also been movement in midfield, with Newcastle reportedly stepping up their pursuit of Marseille’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as they look for an experienced head to help ease the loss of Guimaraes and Tonali. The Denmark international, who spent four seasons at Tottenham, is seen as an ideal candidate to bring leadership and Premier League know-how straight back into the middle of the park.

Newcastle gifted chance to sign Tomori

Amid all the midfield business, though, it’s on the defensive side where Newcastle may now have their best chance yet to get a deal over the line. Saturday’s edition of Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) reports that “the sell-off begins” at AC Milan this week, with Ruben Amorim keen to trim his squad down and Fikayo Tomori staying by the phone in hopes of a move away.

Newcastle have been credited with interest in Tomori for weeks, and while Coventry City, Hull City and West Ham have all previously been mentioned as suitors alongside the Magpies, it is only the latter who tabled a €15million (£13m) offer for the defender.

Milan wanted to hold out for closer to €20million (£17.3m) plus add-ons, but with the Italian club now needing to raise funds to finance further incomings of their own, there appears to be genuine room for that gap to close, with the report suggesting things will accelerate in a matter of days given both Tomori and Milan want to speed things along.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry remain admirers too, thanks to his previous working relationship with the Englishman at Chelsea, while Juventus have also made contact.

Tomori has made over 200 appearances for Milan since joining from Chelsea in 2021, playing a key role in the club’s Serie A title win and establishing himself as a senior figure at San Siro. A return to English football, at 28, would represent a fresh chapter for a defender many feel still has plenty to offer at the top level.

Newcastle also readying huge Nmecha bid

Tomori isn’t the only significant deal Newcastle are working on. The Magpies are also reportedly readying an offer for Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha, though that one comes with a considerably heftier price tag attached.

Dortmund’s sporting director has described the fee required as “astronomical,” with reports suggesting a bid in excess of £86million – potentially rising as high as £103million – would be needed to prise the German midfielder away, a figure that would smash Newcastle’s current transfer record.

Nmecha impressed for Germany at the World Cup and has previously been dubbed “world-class” by former national team boss Julian Nagelsmann, and Newcastle clearly view him as a marquee statement signing capable of directly replacing the guile Guimaraes and the graft of Tonali in one swoop.

Between the Nmecha pursuit, the growing Hojbjerg links, and now a fresh route to Tomori, Jaissle finds himself with plenty of business still to complete – but for the first time in weeks, Newcastle’s transfer window is starting to look a little brighter.