Newcastle United are still interested in Southampton right-back Tino Livramento after seeing an initial advance rebuffed, and could re-enter formal negotiations in the coming days.
What's the latest on Tino Livramento to Newcastle?
That's according to i news, who claim that the Magpies remain in transfer talks for the 20-year-old Englishman after a £30m transfer offer was rejected by Saints earlier this month, with his team demanding £50m.
It is said that there is still a gulf in respective valuations of the player, with Eddie Howe's club likely needing to raise their offer to £40m to see the south coast side part with their precocious talent following relegation from the Premier League this year.
The report underscores Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth's emphasis on squad improvement this summer by landing two further incomings to consolidate the return to Champions League football, with the Toon finishing fourth in the English top-flight last term.
Is Tino Livramento a good player?
Kieran Trippier has proved a remarkable signing for Howe's Newcastle project since arriving from Atletico Madrid in a £12m deal in January 2022, earning praise as a "revelation" by talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan and recording a remarkable average Sofascore rating of 7.61 in the league last season.
However, the England international will be 33-years-old in two months' time and Howe is working aptly in identifying an heir.
Livramento, who was restricted to just two Premier League appearances across the 2022/23 campaign following his recovery from a long-term injury, is now hoping to return to full fitness and could find his comeback well-suited to the role as Trippier's understudy, making the increments to both fitness and form as he ascends to the upper echelon of full-backs in English football, already praised as "excellent" by England manager Gareth Southgate.
Once hailed for his semblance to Premier League legend Gareth Bale by former teammate Theo Walcott, Livramento looks to hold the qualities requisite for success at the zenith of the game, and why not continue his burgeoning rise at a team enjoying their own rise to the fore in Newcastle?
Walcott said:
"Do you know what, he reminds me a little bit of Gareth Bale when he came through as a full-back. That's a big statement of course to compare him to someone like that but just feel like his presence and the way he drives and the pace and the power and it's no surprise that you know what he's going to do."
By utilising his pace, power and surging nature down the right flank, he could effectively contribute to both offensive and defensive sequences, which would aid winger Jacob Murphy in his efforts to succeed next season.
Murphy was a figure shrouded in shadow for much of his time on Tyneside after signing from Norwich City in a £12m move 2017 but played 36 times in the Premier League last season as Howe found good use of his industrious nature and "relentless" work rate – as was dubbed by Chris Waugh – and he now looks an indispensable member of a thriving outfit.
The £35k-per-week gem also ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 16% for touches in the attacking box and the top 17% for progressive passes received, as per FBref.
Effectively, this means that he would be well-placed to thrive with someone such as Livramento behind him, constantly pressing the player further up the pitch and allowing him to drift into promising openings in the danger areas, and Newcastle must now swoop.