Newcastle Now Want to Sign £112m Star Who ‘Has Everything’ After Ekitike Snub

Newcastle United are reportedly considering swooping for Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez after missing out on Hugo Ekitike.

Spanish outlet Fichajes.net reports that the Magpies have set their sights on Alvarez and he’s on their list of options should Alexander Isak depart. The Swede’s future is in doubt after sitting out a 4-0 loss to Celtic in a pre-season friendly on the weekend.

Isak had been linked with Liverpool until the Reds switched their focus to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Ekitike, beating the Tyneside giants to his signature in a £82m deal. This has forced Howe and the club’s transfer chiefs back to the drawing board to find a new frontman.

Newcastle Set Sights On Alvarez

The Magpies are turning to the ex-Man City star

Alvarez is said to be among Newcastle directors’ favourites as they scour the attacking market and their interest in the Argentine has grown over recent hours. A deal for the 25-year-old won’t be cheap, as Atletico values him at around €130m (£112m), about £18m less than the Magpies’ apparent €150m (£130m) asking price for Isak.

The La Liga heavyweights are also adamant that the player isn’t for sale, having only signed him from Manchester City last summer. He joined Diego Simeone’s side in an £81m deal and has become one of their talismen, scoring 29 goals across competitions in his debut season.

Alvarez knows the Premier League well from his time at City who weren’t too keen on selling him last summer. Pep Guardiola gave a glowing verdict of the 2022 World Cup winner, “has everything”.

Newcastle are experiencing a frustrating summer transfer window, having missed out on several top targets and dealt with speculation over Isak’s future. A move to the Saudi Pro League has been touted for last season’s top scorer after Liverpool moved on to Ekitike.

Bryan Mbeumo was on the club’s radar until the Cameroonian forward opted to join Manchester United in a £71m deal from Brentford. They were also keen on Joao Pedro, but the Brazilian attacker headed to Chelsea from Brighton for £60m.

Howe will want high-profile arrivals at St James’ Park this summer ahead of a return to Champions League football. The Tyneside outfit splashed out £52m on Anthony Elanga, but after Ekitike’s snub, they are struggling to find a new striker to either compete with Isak or replace him.

All statistics courtesy of SofaScore – correct as of 20.07.2025

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