Club have chopped £16m off 'strong' Newcastle target's asking price as Magpies interest tails off

Newcastle United may be set to rethink their transfer targets this summer as Sporting CP have dropped £16million off their asking price for long-term target.

The Magpies are reportedly set to sign two defenders as free agents this summer with Lloyd Kelly set to switch the south coast of Bournemouth for Tyneside, while talks with Tosin Adarabioyo continue to be positive despite late interest from rival Premier League sides.

It's with those incomings in mind that Eddie Howe has cooled his interest in Sporting's Ousmane Diomande who has been linked with the club since before the winter window.

Sporting had been demanding that any interested club would have to activate the 20-year-old's £68million release clause in order to take him away from the Lisbon club.

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Sporting were already expecting to lose Diomande this summer

Sporting already have a replacement defender incoming as they planned to lose either Diomande or Goncalo Inacio who has also been linked with the Magpies.

It's with that in mind, along with the fact that nobody seemed eager to pay Diomande's release clause that the club have dropped their asking price to £51million, but it's now believed that a bid of £35million could even be enough.

Newcastle and Liverpool have both cooled their interest in Diomande according to The Express, while Manchester United look set to swoop in their stead.

What are we waiting for?

If £35million is enough to land a player regarded by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig as 'one of the best young talents in Europe' then perhaps Eddie Howe should re-evaluate and challenge Manchester United for his signature.

Sporting boss Ruben Amorim heaped praise on Diomande in an interview picked up by The Chronicle last year.

“Diomande plays with both feet, and is very physically strong. He is a very talented player and most people don't know how many clubs were after him. The truth is that we managed to get him because we took a risk by telling the kids that they're coming to play for the first team …he's got a lot of scope for progression.”

Regardless of whether both Kelly and Adarabioyo join the club, we should also be going in for Diomande if there's a chance we could pick him up for £35million.