A smiling Nick Pope has arrived on Tyneside to complete his move to Newcastle United from Burnley.
The England goalkeeper will go through the usual formalities and medical for the deal before being unveiled in due course, providing there are no late hitches. As Pope arrived there was fresh talk of Hugo Ekitike's move to St James' Park collapsing but Newcastle have maintained a dignified silence on the deal.
What is true is that Newcastle's offer for Ekitike has been on the table for some time and while the forward is believed to have agreed terms and was prepared to finish his holiday early, the sticking point remains agent fees with Karl Buchmann yet to agree any figures. With Reims happy to sell at £26.5million plus future add ons sources close to the deal say that Ekitike's agent is still playing for time in the window.
It's difficult to put the death knell on any transfer as early as late June - the quietest period of the transfer window - with the market set to open up next month. Eddie Howe is still understood to be confident of adding at least two more new faces to his squad in time for pre-season.
And there is still work to be done as far as outgoing business is concerned with deals to be done for a clutch of senior players and a host of younger stars heading on season long loan deals.
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