Report: Club now slash their asking price for 'strong' £69m Newcastle target

It has been a positive day for Newcastle United in terms of news surrounding potential defensive reinforcements.

News broke today that Newcastle now find themselves in pole position to snap up talented English defender Tosin Adarabioyo when he leaves Fulham this summer, and things are also still said to be on track for picking up Lloyd Kelly from Bournemouth.

Both players are out of contract this summer and won't cost Newcastle a penny in transfer fees which would be an extremely positive start to Newcastle's summer business with the Magpies looking to bolster their squad numbers this summer under the constraints of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Another player Newcastle have had their eye on to add some heft to the defence is Ousmane Diomande of Sporting CP, but the feeling was that Sporting would demand any interested club would need to pay up his full £69million release clause to take him away this summer.

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Sporting have potentially knocked £26m off their asking price for Diomande

Now, though, Portuguese outlet A Bola have claimed that Sporting have had a change of heart and could now demand something in the region of £43m-£51million for the in-demand 20-year-old.

Newcastle will feel that's much more in line with their summer budget and could make a move, but they will no doubt face competition with other top Premier League clubs also monitoring the situation.

Sporting boss Ruben Amorim has praised Diomande saying he is "good with both feet and very physically strong."

Newcastle could set their defence up for the long term by signing Diomande

We're not as confident in signing Diomande as we are Adarbioyo and Kelly, but if we could bring all three in this summer then with Sven Botman returning at the turn of the year, Newcastle could have a mean defence for years to come.

Although if Newcastle do sign both English lads, they may drop their interest in Diomande altogether and move on to looking to fill other positions instead.

There are still plenty of other squad spaces that need improving and only so much budget to do it with.