Newcastle United ‘interested’ in Bayern Munich star as Liverpool ‘join race’ for £70m defender

Here, we round-up all the latest transfer stories that have emerged surrounding Newcastle United and beyond:

Newcastle United ‘submit enquiry’ for Bayern Munich star

Newcastle United have launched an audacious bid to sign Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich - according to reports. Kimmich has been capped 82 times by Germany and currently plays as a defensive midfielder, despite having started out as a right-back.

German outlet BILD report that the Magpies have enquired over the 28-year-old’s availability as they attempt to sign extra quality and depth to Eddie Howe’s first-team squad. However, Kimmich has no interest in moving to St James’ Park this month and is settled in Munich having spent almost a decade at the club.

Kimmich’s deal at the Allianz Arena expires in summer 2025, meaning the Bundesliga giants don’t have long if they want to cash in on him. Liverpool and Manchester United have also been credited with an interest in signing Kimmich.

Liverpool ‘eye’ Newcastle-linked defender

Liverpool have become the latest club to be linked with a move for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande. The 20-year-old has caught the attention of both Arsenal and Newcastle this season with the Magpies reportedly tracking his progress at the African Cup of Nations with hosts Ivory Coast.

Whilst a move for Diomande is very unlikely this month due to his £70m release clause, recent reports had suggested that Newcastle would ‘step up’ their interest in the defender ahead of the summer transfer window. However, the emergence of Liverpool as a potential threat to that deal could see the Magpies miss out on one of their reported targets.

Sporting CP signed Diomande for just €7.5m in the summer, but his form in Portugal means he could leave the club after just one season - and will likely net his club a tidy profit if he were to leave. Sporting are very reluctant to see Diomande leave the club midway through the season, whilst his participation in the African Cup of Nations adds another layer of complexity to any deal this month. Diomande played 77 minutes for Ivory Coast as they defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in their opening game of the tournament.