Newcastle United have completed the signing of winger Harvey Barnes from Leicester City.
The 25-year-old has penned a five-year contract until June 2028 and joins the Magpies for an undisclosed fee believed to be in the region of £39m.
Barnes becomes Eddie Howe's third signing of the summer transfer window after the arrivals of teenage forward Yankuba Minteh and Italy international Sandro Tonali.
Speaking to Newcastle's official website about his move to St James' Park, Barnes said: "I'm delighted. It's an amazing club and for me it's a massive opportunity to come and be involved in a successful team that's doing exciting things, so I'm absolutely buzzing to be here.
"I think it's an attacker's dream to come into a team like this; it's high paced, it's physically demanding, but you can see the rewards of that with the chances and the goals scored, so I think I'll certainly suit the style."
Looking good, @harveybarnes97! 😁 pic.twitter.com/k1qU8Ttbiv
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) July 23, 2023
Howe added: "Harvey is an exciting talent who I have admired for a long time so I'm delighted to welcome him to Newcastle United.
"He is strong, quick and very good technically, and he showed last season in particular that he has an eye for goal from wide positions.
"He will add a different element to our play and we look forward to working with him as we prepare for the season ahead."
Meanwhile, a statement from Leicester read: "After a proud 16-year association with Leicester City, Harvey departs with the thanks of all friends and colleagues at the football club for his contribution during that time and best wishes for his future career."
© Reuters
Born in Burnley, Barnes joined Leicester's academy as a nine-year-old back in 2007 and worked his way through the club's youth ranks before making his professional debut in December 2016.
The one-cap England international gained valuable first-team experience during loan spells with MK Dons, Barnsley and West Bromwich Albion before developing into a key first-team player for Leicester, scoring 45 goals and registered 32 assists in 187 appearances for the Foxes across all competitions.
Despite netting 13 goals in 34 Premier League games last season, Barnes was unable to help Leicester avoid relegation to the Championship, and he will now test himself under the tutelage of Howe who is preparing his side for their first campaign in the Champions League for two decades courtesy of their fourth-placed finish in the top flight in 2022-23.
Barnes, who won the FA Cup and Community Shield during his time with the Foxes, is set to link up with his new Newcastle teammates in Philadelphia for the Premier League Summer Series pre-season tournament, with the Magpies scheduled to face Aston Villa at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday.
The arrival of Barnes at Newcastle comes at a time when fellow winger Allan Saint-Maximin is reportedly closing in on a permanent summer move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ahli.
Oliver Thomas
