Newcastle United have completed the signing of Nice winger Allan Saint-Maximin for a reported £16.5m fee that could rise to £20m with add-ons.
The 22-year-old, who can play on either wing and as a centre-forward, moves to St James’ Park on a six-year deal. The Premier League side have also signed Dutch international left-back Jetro Willems, who arrives on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt.
“I’m delighted to bring Allan to St James’ Park. He is a very talented young player with a big future ahead of him,” the Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said. “He has all the attributes you would want in an attacking player, including lightning pace, so I’m sure he’ll excite everybody.”
“Jetro brings a wealth of experience into the dressing room and I’m very pleased to have brought him here,” Bruce said of Wellens. “He has played at the highest level and is naturally left-footed, so he’ll give us another strong option on that side.”
Newcastle have the option to sign the 25-year-old defender on a permanent basis next summer. The two new recruits join Brazilian forward Joelinton, signed from Hoffenheim in July for a reported club-record fee of £40m.
Everton sign Gbamin as Gueye replacement
Everton have made their fourth summer signing, with defensive midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin joining from Mainz for an undisclosed fee.
The 23-year-old Ivory Coast international has signed a five-year contract, with the fee reportedly in the region of £22.5m. Gbamin is expected to fill the midfield gap left by Idrissa Gueye, who joined PSG on Monday.
“It’s a big moment with a lot of emotion and now it’s on me to prove on the pitch why they bought me,” Gbamin told evertontv. “I’m excited because Everton is a great club with a big history and ambition, so I didn’t think for more than a moment – I wanted to come here.”
“Jean-Philippe is a player who has developed really well during the last three seasons, playing in a high level competition like the Bundesliga,” said the Everton manager, Marco Silva.
“He is ready for this challenge – to come and help us to keep getting better. He is full of ambition to play for Everton and he will give us different solutions in our midfield.”
Gbamin is Silva’s fourth summer signing, following Fabian Delph, André Gomes and backup goalkeeper Jonas Lössl. The club are also reportedly very close to completing a £30m move for Juventus forward Moise Kean.
Elsewhere, Wolves have added to their Portuguese contingent, signing two young players from Lazio in a deal worth a reported €20m (£18.3m). Winger Pedro Neto and midfielder Bruno Jordão only officially joined the Serie A side from Braga on 1 July, after two seasons on loan in Italy.
Both players struggled to make an impact at Lazio, and have now been snapped up by Wolves. It is thought that Neto and Jordão, aged 19 and 20 respectively, will begin life in England with the club’s under-23 squad, but may gain first-team opportunities.
