Newcastle end transfer talks regarding £16m-rated winger

Newcastle United have ended discussions with MLS side Charlotte FC over winger Miguel Almiron, according to reports.

Charlotte had been trying to secure the services of Almiron ahead of the closure of the MLS transfer window at midnight on Wednesday.

However, Newcastle were understood to be demanding offers of £16m or more for Almiron, with Charlotte unwilling to reach that sort of level.

According to the Northern Echo, talks between the two clubs have now ended, meaning Charlotte have missed out on two winger targets in the space of a few days, with their approach for Feyenoord’s also collapsing.

Although Almiron won’t be going to Charlotte, he may still leave the club with Newcastle currently scouring the market for new wingers and reportedly open to selling the Paraguay international.

A return to MLS would have been a dream scenario for Almiron, who joined Newcastle from Atlanta United in January 2019, shortly after helping the Five Stripes win MLS Cup in a spell that saw him notch 22 goals and 21 assists in 70 appearances across all competitions.

That said, given Atlanta United’s rivalry with Charlotte FC — with the two sides just over four hours apart — this is a move that would have proven unpopular with supporters of Almiron’s former club, who regard the 30-year-old among their greatest-ever players.

Almiron has 30 goals and 12 assists to his name in 209 appearances for Newcastle, with his best campaign at St. James’ Park so far coming in 2022/23, when he hit 11 goals and two assists in 34 Premier League outings.