According to The Shields Gazette, almost certain Premier League bound Newcastle United are said to be making a move for a £15 million rated Premier League player.
Reports from sources such as The Sun had been forthcoming that Newcastle United were interested in bringing in Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross as Magpies boss Rafa Benitez began to look at rebuilding a side capable of staying in the top-tier of English football.
The Stoke skipper is out of contract next year, with Newcastle hoping to no doubt steal a march on this date and place a bid with the Potters to acquire his services. However, a spanner may have been thrown in the works with multiple sources, such as The Express, stating that Stoke boss Mark Hughes and the club are ready to sit down with the 29-year-old centre-back and strike a new deal in the summer.
Hughes has spoken about the situation, with The Express saying: “We’re looking to sit down and re-contract him, along with others. That would make sense for everybody. Talk of a move is pure speculation.”
Shawcross arrived at Stoke on a permanent transfer mid-January 2008, for a fee thought to be around £1.3 million, after spending a half-season on loan at the Potters – having appeared in 376 games – scoring 23 goals and providing 15 assists.
Newcastle, according to the Independent, are thought to be looking for up to six new faces for their almost certain return to the Premier League, with central defender Shawcross said to be one of these half-dozen new faces. The Independent say that current defensive duo Ciaran Clark and Jamaal Lascelles have been the mainstay of the Magpies backline this season “but [Rafa] Benitez wants more Premier League experience next season.”
