Newcastle United ‘open talks’ to sign ex-Manchester United striker as Chelsea sign £88million Toon ‘target’

Here, we round-up all the latest transfer stories that have emerged today from St James’s Park and beyond:

Newcastle United ‘open talks’ to sign Barcelona striker

Newcastle United have reportedly held preliminary talks over the signing of Memphis Depay from Barcelona. Depay has featured just four times for the La Liga giants this season and looks destined to leave the Camp Nou in the near future.

Football Insider report that Newcastle are plotting a loan move for Depay, but face competition from his former club PSV for his signature. PSV have seemingly identified Depay as a short-term replacement for his fellow countryman Cody Gakpo who left the Philips Stadium to join Liverpool at the beginning of the transfer window.

Barcelona are believed to be ‘open’ to the prospect of sending Depay out on-loan this month.

Ryan Fraser set for St James’s Park departure?

Newcastle United winger Ryan Fraser is reportedly free to leave St James’s Park this summer if the club receive an offer for his services. Fraser has played just eight times for Newcastle this season and hasn’t been seen in action since a 17 minute stint against Everton in October.

According to the Athletic, Fraser is seen as one of Newcastle’s most ‘saleable’ assets and would be allowed to leave the club this month. Southampton have previously been credited with an interest in the Scotland international.

Mykahlo Mudryk transfer confirmation

Despite being seemingly destined to end up at the Emirates Stadium come the end of the January transfer window, Mykhaylo Mudryk has instead joined Graham Potter’s Chelsea. The Gunners, along with Newcastle United, had been heavily-linked with a move for the striker, however, neither club were willing to match Shakhtar Donetsk’s valuation of the 22-year-old.

The Blues have forked out £88.5million to sign the Ukrainian who has starred for Shakhtar this season, none more so than in the Champions League where he netted three times in their group stage campaign. Mudryk joins Benoit Badiashile, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Joao Felix as new arrivals to Stamford Bridge.

Shakhtar have also announced that £20.5million of the fee they received for Mudryk will be pledged to a scheme to help the Ukrainian war effort.