Tino Livramento close to joining for around £30 million

Tino Livramento is close to joining Newcastle for a fee of around £30 million, according to Jacob Steinberg writing in The Guardian.

Eddie Howe's interest in the 20-year-old English right-back has been reported extensively in the media since June. More recently, it has been said that Allan Saint-Maximin's impending move to Al Ahli of the Saudi Pro League will break the deadlock between Newcastle and Southampton on the size and structure of the prospective transfer fee.

If Steinberg is correct, this does appear to be the case, with progress on the move for Livramento seemingly being made just as Saint-Maximin heads to Saudi Arabia. Harvey Barnes has also been on Tyneside over the past 48 hours to conclude his £38 million move from Leicester City, and Livramento was always predicted to be the next to follow the winger through the doors at St. James' Park.

Southampton, like Leicester, were relegated last season and need to cash in on some of their prize assets to ensure financial stability. And Livramento, despite missing almost all of 2022/23 with a very serious ACL injury, is very much one of their prize assets. Before his injury, he had usurped Kyle Walker-Peters in the right-back berth at St. Mary's, which was no mean feat given the quality of the former Spurs full-back.

Standing at around six feet tall, Livramento's ability to drive forward both with and without the ball is his most distinctive attribute. He's a player that can dribble off either foot that is known for consistently getting to the byline and putting in accurate crosses. He's also capable of playing further forward in midfield as well as at left-back, offering some of that versatility that Howe loves.

Here's a reel of some of his best moments in the red and white of Southampton: