Newcastle United are reportedly in a race with another club in the Premier League to sign Kyle Bartley in the summer transfer window.
The Lowdown: Low budget
There have been a number of reports that Steve Bruce is set to be given a low transfer budget by Mike Ashley for the new 2021/22 season.
This means that the former Aston Villa and Sunderland manager will have to focus on securing cheap deals, including loans, in order to fill up his squad for the new campaign.
The Latest: Bartley eyed
As per The Telegraph, Newcastle and Crystal Palace are eyeing up a potential move to sign Bartley.
The West Brom defender could be available for as little as £3m, which would fit in with the Tyneside club’s reported low budget.
The Verdict: Avoid
While Bartley could be seen as a decent low-cost option for Newcastle, he is not a player that they should be targeting.
While he put in some good performances for the Baggies last term, with former Magpies boss Sam Allardyce recognising his ‘quality’ back in March, he was very much part of a team which struggled badly in the top flight.
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At 30 years of age as well, the 1.94m (6 foot 3) centre-back is probably past his peak, and so the Magpies should be looking to pursue other targets.
In other news, Keith Downie has dropped an update on NUFC’s reported pursuit of this Premier League ace