Report: Newcastle have now looked at signing ‘unbelievable’ England player this summer, same agent as Pope

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Newcastle United have been offered the opportunity to sign Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse this summer.

The Chronicle report that the England international has been offered around clubs this summer and suggest Newcastle were one of them.

They say that Newcastle did look into it, but that the asking price of £75 million put them off, with the club feeling they can get better value elsewhere.

Nick Pope’s arrival has now been confirmed and that deal represents good value for money for a current Three Lions star.

Newcastle offered Ward-Prowse

Ward-Prowse is represented by the same agency as Pope – the Stellar Group – who also represent midfielder Jonjo Shelvey.

So there is a relationship there if Newcastle chose to try and build on it but it seems like the fee has put them off so far.

Ward-Prowse has four years remaining on his current contract and that creates no imperative on the Saints to sell him for anything less than his asking price.

Ward-Prowse has been such a strong performer at Premier League level for a number of years now, and has been described as ‘unbelievable‘.

He has a good chance of going to the World Cup with England later this year, and his energy and set-piece delivery are second to none.

But signing a Premier League captain is always going to cost a fortune unless he has a dwindling contract and that is what Newcastle have found.

In Pope and Kieran Trippier, Newcastle have already signed two active England internationals since the takeover, but unless the price comes down, Ward-Prowse looks unlikely to make it three.