Here are the latest Newcastle United headlines for Thursday, July 20, 2023.
Harvey Barnes medical
Harvey Barnes has taken another step closer to becoming a Newcastle United player. The 25-year-old is undergoing his medical on Tyneside and is going through the usual transfer formalities to complete the move from Leicester City.
As Chronicle Live reported on Tuesday, Barnes agreed personal terms in principle and will leave the relegated Foxes in due course.
Barnes did not travel with Leicester to Thailand for pre-season which has made the process a little smoother. And the next step will be to hook up with his Newcastle team-mates in the United States for their three-match tour.
Shay Given relives exit
The goalkeeper gloves are still in the drawer, but there will be something symbolic about Shay Given wearing a Newcastle United polo shirt again when the club legend represents the Magpies in an ambassadorial role in the US in the coming days. After all, this is a man who barely set foot inside St James' Park for 12 years because he felt so unwelcome in the Ashley era. Not anymore.
"I feel part of what they are doing in spreading the word," he told ChronicleLive. "When you play that many games for Newcastle, you understand the club, the fans and the city. The best part of my life, the best of my career, was at Newcastle. It's an honour for me to go back now. There's a sense of pride."
There was pride, too, when Given returned to the training ground in May for the first time since he left for Man City in 2009. Given parked up at Benton to train with the club's goalkeepers for a Sky Sports segment and Eddie Howe made sure the Irishman was 'welcomed back with open arms'. In fact, a breathless Given was thrown into the 'firing line' at the end of the session as players and staff huddled around the 47-year-old.
Tonali squad number
Sandro Tonali could be set to wear the No 20 shirt for Newcastle United - if Tuesday night's friendly with Rangers at Ibrox is anything to go by.
The Magpies' squad numbers for the 2023-24 season are yet to be confirmed, with several weeks to go before the new campaign gets under way. Several players could yet arrive at St James' Park, of course, with others set to leave in the coming weeks.
Allan Saint-Maximin's No 10 shirt may soon become available if, as expected he leaves the club, and there could be some changes in the squad number list. While the players did not have their names on their shirts at Ibrox, they all wore their usual squad numbers, and Tonali was wearing the No 20 shirt.
