The latest transfer news surrounds Luis Suarez to Aston Villa and Jesse Lingard and Diego Carlos to Newcastle as some big names may be switching La Liga for the Premier League.
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Suarez is not a main player for Atletico Madrid this season and a return to the Premier League would be sensational, as the 34-year-old would certainly give Villa an X-factor up top.
As for Carlos, he is one of the top center backs in Spain and would be a huge signing for Newcastle if they can pull it off. When it comes to Lingard, he is out of contract at United this summer and is out of favor. He badly needs to be playing regularly if he’s going to get back into the England squad.
Below we dig into these reports a little deeper.
Liverpool reunion to continue at Villa?
Spanish journalist Gerard Romero is reporting that Steven Gerrard has reached out to his former Liverpool teammate Suarez about joining Villa.
Per the report, Suarez has ruled out offers from Brazilian trio Palmeiras, Corinthians and Atletico Mineiro and he has also ruled out a move to Saudi Arabia. However, our partners in the UK at Sky Sports are reporting that Villa aren’t as keen on a move for Suarez as the initial reports suggested.
Suarez is out of contract in the summer at Atletico Madrid and despite being a key man in their La Liga title win last season (he scored 21 goals), this season he has fallen down the pecking order under Diego Simeone.
Gerrard has already brought Philippe Coutinho to Villa on loan from Barcelona and if he signs Suarez then all we need is Daniel Sturridge to arrive from Perth Glory to complete the Liverpool 2013-14 reunion party…
On a serious note, this is exactly why Villa wanted Gerrard as their coach. Not only is he bright young manager, he is also widely respected in the game and is able to persuade superstar players to sign for Villa.
Suarez would certainly be good enough to score 10-12 goals a season and Villa’s current strikers (Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings and Leon Bailey) have struggled to score consistently this season.
Coutinho setting up Suarez to score at the Holte End while Gerrard applauds from the dugout would be quite the sight.
Carlos wants Newcastle move
Newcastle’s pursuit of Sevilla defender Diego Carlos has continued (they’ve already failed with two bids in January) and the Brazilian center back has told his current club he wants to leave.
Carlos, 28, has handed in an official transfer request to Sevilla and according to the Guardian, a $40 million transfer is being arranged. Carlos has a release clause closer to $80 million but it is believed a compromise can be struck.
Like Kieran Trippier, Carlos is swapping a La Liga title battle for a Premier League relegation scrap.
Why? Simply put, it is believed that Carlos will earn up to three times what he is earning currently at Sevilla. The lure of being a key part of an ambitious project is also very appealing too.
Eddie Howe and Newcastle are strengthening in the key areas they need to and they are looking to bring in a left back, goalkeeper and a central midfielder too.
Carlos has won the Europa League with Sevilla and has been key to their success in recent seasons. If Newcastle pull this move off, it would be a major coup.
Lingard could get another loan
A report from our partners in the UK at Sky Sports states that Newcastle have made an approach to sign Jesse Lingard from Manchester United.
Lingard has struggled massively for game time this season and per the report, United would be willing to sanction a move to Newcastle as they aren’t strengthening a direct top four rival.
West Ham (where Lingard had an amazing loan spell in the second half of last season) and Tottenham were both said to be interested in signing the 28-year-old, but Newcastle could swoop in.
Wherever Lingard goes, he has to play regularly to have any chance of getting in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the 2022 World Cup. That is his main motivation and that is why he is keen to leave his boyhood club. In the report it is also stated that Lingard is close friends with recent Newcastle signing, and fellow England teammate, Kieran Trippier.
