Newcastle are now unlikely to sign Raphinha now that Leeds United have secured their Premier League status for next season.
The Telegraph report that Newcastle want the Brazilian international but know they have only an outside chance at best now.
Barcelona have seemingly moved closer to signing the wideman, and reports in Spain suggest that Raphinha has told club bosses he wants to leave.
Survival means that Leeds do not need to worry about the relegation release clause and should make more of a profit on the £17 million they paid for Raphinha in the first place.
Newcastle unlikely to sign Raphinha
The report says: “Eddie Howe has been targeting a wide forward for next season to build on his work in the second half of the campaign.
“Raphinha’s situation has also been monitored but now unlikely after he helped Leeds United survive on the final day of the campaign.
“Targets from abroad have moved up the list at Newcastle as domestic players have been met with high asking prices.“
MORE NEWCASTLE UNITED STORIES
Newcastle have cash to spend this summer but there are some targets who will be off-limits until they have European football at the very least.
Raphinha seems to have his heart set on Barcelona if a deal can be done, although it is far from a foregone conclusion that the winger will leave this summer.
Jesse Marsch has called him ‘fantastic‘, so it would be a huge statement of intent if Leeds could hold onto him next season.