English winger Harvey Barnes has left Leicester, relegated to the second division, to join Newcastle on Sunday, the two English clubs announced, in exchange for 44 million euros according to the British press. Selected once with the Three Lions, the 25-year-old signed up for five years with the Magpies, on the rise since they were bought by a Saudi sovereign fund two years ago.
Fourth in the Premier League last season, the club from north-east England will return to the Champions League next season, twenty years after its last participation.
It will be with Barnes, therefore, in anticipation of the potential departure of another winger: Frenchman Allan Saint-Maximin, who is rumored to be sending to Saudi club Al-Ahli. “It’s an incredible club for me, a great opportunity to be part of a successful team, so I’m very happy,” said Barnes, a sure bet in the English championship.
“I think every striker dreams of arriving in a team like this, which sets the pace, which is very physically demanding but it increases the number of scoring chances and goals scored, so I think I will fit in well in this style of play, “he added.
Trained at Leicester, Barnes played 187 games for the Foxes and managed to do well on an individual level last season as the club’s top scorer (thirteen goals).
He is Newcastle’s second major signing since the opening of the summer transfer market, after the arrival of Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali for around EUR 60m according to the press. At the start of the transfer window, coach Eddie Howe said that his club would favor quality over quantity to strengthen for the C1.
