Newcastle United have been told the door is still ajar when it comes to Goncalo Ramos of Benfica - despite the player insisting he was focused on life with the Portuguese giants.
Ramos, still just 21, does have ambitions to one day play in the Premier League but offered the Press a sensible answer when asked about his future over the weekend. As reported yesterday on Chronicle Live, Benfica are holding on for a deal worth around £35million.
Given Ramos' age he is deemed as a player that has the type of profile Eddie Howe is looking for in that he can compete for a first-team place alongside more senior stars like Callum Wilson. Ramos' wages would also fit into United's salary structure.
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Wolverhampton Wanderers also have an interest in Ramos given Bruno Lage has worked with the youngster before at Benfica. Although, morning newspaper reports in Lisbon today stated that Newcastle has "positioned themselves the closest" when it comes to the chase for Ramos.
Ramos signed a new deal with Benfica in late 2021 and is contracted until 2026 but Benfica won't stand in his way if they get a good offer. Suggestions in Portugal are that a deal could be done if Newcastle offer "slightly more" for his services.
When asked about Ramos' situation with Benfica, boss Roger Schmidt simply said: "I saw him play with a lot of passion for Benfica". But privately he is understood to be resigned to losing the young star sooner or later.
Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley was at Chelsea yesterday for the explosive 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge. But it remains to be seen whether that pushes Newcastle any closer to possible loan deals for the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi or Armando Broja, who have both been linked with moves to Tyneside.
When asked about the window, Howe said on Saturday night: "It’s an ever-changing thing, so if you’re not careful, you can waste a lot of time watching players that maybe aren’t attainable, or for lots of different reasons that you can’t get. That’s part of the job though, and it goes with it hand in hand."
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