Newcastle United still in the race for £70m Premier League striker as contract negotiations hit a standstill – Fabrizio Romano

For Newcastle fans, the January transfer window has been a source of frustration.

Nearly three weeks into the month, the club has yet to make any first-team signings, a situation that feels all too familiar on Tyneside.

The club’s reluctance to spend, despite clear areas of improvement, continues to be a recurring issue.

Furthermore, the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules have only added to the challenge.

Over the past year, the only significant signing Newcastle made was Lewis Hall, whose arrival has contributed meaningfully to the team.

While players such as Lloyd Kelly, William Osula, and Odysseas Vlachodimos were also signed, they have yet to make much of an impact in their first six months.

Despite the lack of activity in the transfer market, Newcastle continue to monitor several potential signings. Unfortunately, some of these players have already moved to other clubs.

One example of this was when Borussia Dortmund offered Donyell Malen to Newcastle. The club passed on the opportunity, and Malen subsequently joined Aston Villa.

However, a Premier League player who was previously linked with a move to Newcastle may still make the switch to Tyneside after contract negotiations with his current club broke down.

Matheus Cunha, a forward for Wolverhampton Wanderers, has had an impressive season despite his team’s struggles in the Premier League.

The Brazilian has scored 10 goals and provided 4 assists in 20 Premier League matches, ranking as the eighth-highest scorer in the league so far.

Newcastle had been linked with Cunha before the January transfer window, but securing the deal would come at a steep cost of £70 million.

Initially, it appeared that Cunha was on the verge of signing a new contract with Wolves.

However, renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano has since provided an update, revealing that while there was a verbal agreement on the new deal, the contract has not yet been finalized due to remaining details to be worked out.

Romano also reports that Arsenal are now showing interest in the 25-year-old as a potentially more affordable alternative to Alexander Isak.

Newcastle’s interest in Cunha dates back to 2022 when Dan Ashworth was still the club’s sporting director.

At that time, Cunha was offered to Newcastle by Atletico Madrid.

While Cunha remains an intriguing prospect for Newcastle, it’s unclear how he would fit into Eddie Howe’s starting lineup alongside Isak.

Nevertheless, the two could form a formidable partnership, capable of scoring goals. Cunha has shown versatility this season, with many of his goals coming from a No.10 role.

Like Isak, Cunha is an excellent dribbler, and his ability to pull wide and deliver dangerous crosses into the box adds further value.

His impressive tally of 10 goals from an expected goals (xG) value of 4.4 is also noteworthy.

Although £70 million is a hefty price to pay, Cunha’s form this season suggests that such an investment could be worthwhile for Newcastle.