Newcastle United are still hoping to sign Southampton full-back Tino Livramento this summer after seeing an initial approach rejected as Eddie Howe now looks to improve his side's defensive options.
The Magpies boss has already completed deals for playmaker Sandro Tonali and winger Harvey Barnes for the first-team, taking the club's spending to just short of £100m, and looks determined to spread his attention evenly across the Toon squad to continue the club's rise.
Indeed, Newcastle finished fourth in the Premier League last year and now, with Champions League football awaiting, must ensure that the correct steps are taken to cement their stature among Europe's elite.
Is Tino Livramento joining Newcastle?
After being rebuffed the first time, Sky Sports' Mark McAdams has confirmed that the Magpies have seen a £30m offer rejected for Livramento, with Southampton holding out for £40m.
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The former Chelsea academy graduate spent the lion's share of the 22/23 campaign out injured and Saints, who were relegated from the Premier League, believe he has retained his value.
How good is Tino Livramento?
After signing from Chelsea for £5m in 2021, Livramento took to senior action like a duck to water and earned praise from England manager Gareth Southgate for his "excellent" start to the 21/22 campaign.
Across that season, the 20-year-old would forge 28 Premier League appearances, earning an average Sofascore rating of 6.85 and clinching a goal and assist apiece, also completing 79% of his passes, making 1.9 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per match and succeeding with 62% of his ground duels.
It's clear that this varied approach would enhance Newcastle's right flank; Kieran Trippier is a remarkable player and a creative phenom but did not better Livramento across any of the aforementioned metrics last season, and given that he is approaching his 33rd birthday it is wise to identify an eventual heir.
It is also an astute move for Howe to move for a player plying his trade for a recently-relegated Premier League team, especially when considering his success previously delving into the market for a star to have faced the drop.
Namely, Nick Pope. The 31-year-old England international joined the St. James' Park project one year ago after arriving from Burnley for just £10m.
The £60k-per-week shot-stopper kept 14 clean sheets from 37 outings in the English top-flight last term and ranks among the top 8% of goalkeepers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for least goals conceded and save percentage, as per FBref.
It was a prudent purchase, and one that Howe has reaped the rewards of; what is to say the diligent recruitment team, headed by technical director Dan Ashworth, cannot repeat the feat?
Livramento saw his progress stifled last year but if his performances from the previous season are anything to go by, he was a sorely missed presence in the floundering Saints squad, and there is no question that he is a "future star" – as stated by former teammate Theo Walcott – who could grow into his role and coincide his burgeoning rise with Newcastle's over the next several years.
