00:00So, Newcastle United's summer transfer window looks like finally kicking into gear with the news that they've upped their offer for Anthony Alanga.
00:08Now, the initial bid of £45 million that was submitted sometime last week was rejected very quickly by Nottingham Forest.
00:15You know, that was clearly not enough to tempt them into selling.
00:18And then reports on Thursday night hinted that Newcastle had submitted another bid, one worth around £55 million.
00:24And that hasn't been rejected yet by Nottingham Forest, which may suggest that actually Forest are thinking about it and considering, you know, potentially selling Alanga to Newcastle.
00:34Now, we all know the Swedish international has been their top target for a number of weeks now, pretty much the whole summer.
00:40And of course, it was interesting in last year, a late move last summer was not feasible for many reasons, including Forest not wanting to sell one of their key players.
00:48Newcastle United's finances at the time, you know, wouldn't allow for such a big move.
00:52But it seems now 12 months on or sort of 11, 10 months on from that bid that they are finally making progress and that potentially Alanga could be a Newcastle United player before the season starts.
01:04And so even maybe even before pre-season starts, you know, Eddie Howe's squad don't get back to pre-season training until next week or Monday with the vast majority of the players coming back.
01:14Of course, some of the international players, Tino Libermento, for example, he'll be given an extra time off and will join later on in pre-season.
01:23But on Anthony Alanga, right now it appears that the move is heading in the right direction.
01:28I said this on my video earlier this week that it always felt like one, Newcastle would up their offer, would go back in for, and one that might progress.
01:34You know, it seemed sort of this time last week that James Trafford would be the first one that's completed.
01:40Now it looks like Trafford and Alanga both are heading in the right direction.
01:43Of course, there's still lots of, you know, lots of taste-crossing eyes to dot, but it seems that it's heading in the right direction.
01:51And then Newcastle are finally making moves in the market.
01:54Now, it's been a frustrating summer so far.
01:56You know, Antonio Cordero's joined from Malaga, but there's been no senior signing.
02:00And then, of course, that has fans sort of worried, especially when you hear Eddie Howe at the end of the season claiming, you know, he wants the club to act quickly in the market and act with speed.
02:08But it's still, you know, the club have, or the squad haven't returned for pre-season training.
02:12So if you can get a couple of deals done in their first early weeks, then, you know, it will be a good start to the summer.
02:19£55 million, as I mentioned before, is about the fee for Alanga.
02:22Now it does seem high, of course.
02:24You know, I think that £55 million for a 23-year-old playing for Nottingham Forest is a high fee.
02:29But realistically, the transfer market is so out of whack at the minute.
02:33You know, if you've got to look back at sort of January 2023, when you got to know that you bought Anthony Gordon, they paid about £45 million for him at that point.
02:41Is Alanga more established than Gordon was at that point?
02:44Probably.
02:44Is £10 million, you know, more for Alanga than Gordon worth?
02:49What about the market is now?
02:51Then probably is.
02:52So £55 million seems high, but he's been top of their targets for ages.
02:57You know, he seems to play a perfect value out of system.
02:59Lots of role pace.
03:01He's clearly someone that they believe they can develop into a top-class winner.
03:04We've seen them do that with Anthony Gordon, as mentioned, in recent times.
03:08And right-wing is a position they need the strength.
03:10Jacob Murphy was brilliant last year, and he will continue to have a role to play in this team.
03:13You know, he's part of the leadership group, and he will be competing with Alanga for starts.
03:17But they needed someone just for more bodies in attacking areas, especially with the balance in domestic and European action this year.
03:25And Alanga, as I said, just seems a perfect player for Eddie Howe's style of play and someone that they can hope develops.
03:31So £55 million seems a lot, but if that transfer works out, then it could be a real smart business for Newcastle.
03:37And, of course, the best way you can stay up to date with all the ladies, not just news about Anthony Alanga, but Ngassi Knight's transfer business as a whole, is with the Shields Gazette.
