Newcastle have completed the signing of Southampton defender Tino Livramento for an undisclosed fee.

The England Under-21 international has agreed a five-year deal with the Magpies after the two clubs agreed a reported fee which could rise to around £35million.

Livramento told the club’s official website: “I’m really excited to have signed for Newcastle United and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans.

“I was here for the games over the weekend; even though they were friendlies, there were so many fans and they were still so loud so I can’t wait to see what it feels like to play in front of them in a Premier League or Champions League game.

“The way the manager plays football is really attractive and I feel like it suits me as a player. And with how well the team did last season, the trajectory that we’re on now, I’m just looking forward to being a part of that.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has now added three new players to his squad this summer following the arrivals of Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from AC Milan and winger Harvey Barnes from Leicester.

Livramento, 20, who signed a five-year deal when he joined Southampton from Chelsea for £5m in August 2021, missed all but the final two games last season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in April 2022.

He returned to action in May, making two substitute appearances in Southampton’s final two Premier League games before they were relegated.

Newcastle will play Champions League football next season after finishing fourth in Howe’s first full campaign in charge.

Howe added: “Tino is a very talented young player with an exciting future ahead of him so we are delighted to sign him.

“At 20, he already has lots of attributes that I admire but he also has the potential and drive to really grow with this team. I’m looking forward to working with him and to seeing him develop in a Newcastle shirt.”

Allan Saint-Maximin has become the latest player to swap the Premier League for the Saudi Pro League after leaving Newcastle to join Al-Ahli.

The former France youth international spent four years at St James’ Park and leaves for an undisclosed fee.

Saint-Maximin will team up with both Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez at Al-Ahli as the influx of top names to Saudi Arabia shows no sign of abating.

The 26-year-old scores 13 goals across 124 appearances for the Magpies, but has struggled with niggling injuries in recent seasons.

The deal to sell Saint-Maximin has drawn criticism as the Saudi Public Investment Fund having the majority ownership in both Newcastle and Al-Ahli.

“Everyone at Newcastle United thanks Allan for his contribution to the club and community and extends best wishes for the next chapter in his career,” Newcastle said in a statement confirming his departure.

Allan Saint-Maximin has confirmed he is to leave Newcastle this summer.

The French winger has been heavily linked with a £30million move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

The 26-year-old has sat out much of the Magpies’ pre-season programme and has now posted a farewell message on his Instagram account.

In it he professes his love for the club and reflects on their journey from relegation strugglers to last season’s impressive fourth-placed Premier League finish.

He wrote: “I fell for Newcastle, I had great opportunities to leave during dark days, but that was too late I was already in love, I wanted, I needed, I had to stay for helping my team to save the club from Premier League relegation because it meant the world for me.

“Of course during those dark days some may have had their doubts, but I always believed in this club and look where we are today, it’s just so beautiful. I’m leaving Newcastle as it should always have been and that’s my greatest trophy because I was a part of it.”

 

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Saint-Maximin joined Newcastle from Nice in a £16million deal in 2019. He has made 124 appearances for the club and scored 13 goals.

A switch to Saudi Arabia would see him join a growing list of high-profile players to have moved to the Middle East country.

Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Edouard Mendy have already signed for Al-Ahli, while Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson and N’Golo Kante have also joined Pro League clubs this summer.

Newcastle have completed their swoop for Leicester frontman Harvey Barnes after a protracted pursuit.

The 25-year-old wide-man, who has been in the Magpies’ sights for sometime, has signed a five-year contract after the two clubs agreed an undisclosed fee which it is understood could eventually amount to £38million.

Newcastle said in a statement: “Newcastle United are delighted to announce the signing of winger Harvey Barnes for an undisclosed fee.

“The 25-year-old has signed a five-year contract.”

Barnes, who travelled to Tyneside last week to undergo a medical, is the third addition to a squad which finished fourth in last season’s Premier League with AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali and Odense striker Yankuba Minteh, who has been sent out on loan to Feyenoord, having arrived earlier this month.

A graduate of the Foxes’ Academy, he made 187 appearances for the club, which was relegated to the Sky Bet Championship at the end of last season, and is an FA Cup winner as well as a full England international.

Barnes, who scored 13 Premier League goals for City during the 2022-23 season, 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.”

Barnes’ capture is reward for the Magpies’ persistence and head coach Eddie Howe was delighted to have finally got his man.

Howe said: “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.”

Leicester thanked the player for his contribution during his time with the club.

A statement said: “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.”

Barnes’ arrival is likely to signal the departure of Frenchman Allan Saint-Maximin, who was left out of the party which has travelled to the United States for the inaugural Premier League Summer Series as he held talks over his future having been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Eddie Howe confirmed Allan Saint-Maximin is “in discussion regarding a move to another club” following Newcastle United’s 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox.

The forward was missing from the squad which travelled to Glasgow amid speculation he could leave the club this summer.

There as speculation that the 26-year-old Frenchman, who joined the Magpies in a £16million move from Nice in August 2019, is a target for a Saudi Pro League club with some reports naming Al-Ahli as potential buyers.

Manager Howe said: “Allan is in discussions regarding a move to another club.

“Nothing is confirmed, nothing is done at these stages but that’s why he wasn’t here today.

“With financial fair play you sort of have to trade otherwise, for us this summer we would be stuck in a position where we couldn’t recruit players the other way. That’s how financial fair play works.

“Maxi is a top player. We definitely don’t want to lose him, we want to strengthen the group but sometimes these things happen and we have to accept that.

“It is early to speak of Maxi in the past tense at Newcastle, certainly our respect and love for him is the same as the supporters.

“They love him and we love him and certainly if he does go it will be a difficult moment for all of us.

“There is no immediate plans for him to join us tomorrow but we will wait and see. He could end up with us again and if that is the case we would love to have him back.”

The visitors took the lead in Allan McGregor’s testimonial in the 16th minute when Elliot Anderson slipped in Miguel Almiron who steered the ball low past the 41-year-old keeper.

In the 64th minute Dutch attacker Sam Lammers, signed from Italian side Atalanta, intercepted a slack pass from goalkeeper Karl Darlow to his fellow Toon substitute Bruno Guimaraes before moving in to beat the keeper but with three minutes remaining Scotland Under-21 defender Harrison Ashby leapt to head a cross from Alexander Isak over McGregor’s replacement Jack Butland for the winner.

Howe, who revealed Joelinton was not involved as he had complications with his visa for the impending trip to America although he is expected to join up later, was “very impressed” with the debut of his new signing from AC Milan, midfielder Sandro Tonali.

He said: “He brought everything I thought he would bring in that first 45 minutes.

“Calm, composed, technically high level, good relationships with the players around him.

“He looked at home in a black and white shirt so it was a great start for him.”

Newcastle frontman Allan Saint-Maximin was missing from the party which headed to Glasgow for Tuesday night’s friendly against Rangers amid speculation he could leave the club this summer.

Rumours have suggested the 26-year-old Frenchman, who joined the Magpies in a £16million move from Nice in August 2019, is a target for a Saudi Pro League club with some reports naming Al-Ahli as potential buyers.

The PA news agency understands Saint-Maximin, who earlier this summer posted a message on social media in which he said he was “entering a turning point in my career and I will give everything until the end to achieve my dreams”, will not be involved at Ibrox as his future is thrashed out.

Newcastle, who are 80 per cent owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, remain in negotiations with relegated Leicester over winger Harvey Barnes, but are being hampered by the constraints imposed by Financial Fair Play regulations after investing in excess of £300million in the last four transfer windows.

Head coach Eddie Howe has insisted he does not want to lose any of his senior players and name-checked Saint-Maximin in his post-match comments after Saturday’s pre-season friendly at Gateshead amid ongoing speculation.

However, the crowd favourite is one of the few players inherited by Howe who would command a sizeable fee and with frustration mounting at the lack of tangible progress since the £53million capture of AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali earlier this month, the 45-year-old is having to brace himself.

Despite the wealth of their owners and the new revenue stream they have opened up by qualifying for next season’s Champions League, the Magpies are having to be creative to avoid breaching financial rules with the their wage bill also a concern.

Howe has repeatedly insisted he wants to strengthen, not weaken his squad this summer, but has been equally keen to highlight the restrictions under which the club would have to work.

Newcastle pair Paul Dummett and Loris Karius have signed new deals to keep them at the club until the end of next season.

Dummett, at 31 the Magpies’ longest serving current player, and Karius, 30, were both offered contract extensions last month after the expiry of their previous deals.

Newcastle said: “Newcastle defender Paul Dummett and goalkeeper Loris Karius have agreed to extend their contracts at St James’ Park until summer 2024.”

Left-back Dummett, who joined the club’s academy aged nine, made his first-team debut over a decade ago in early 2013 and has made more than 200 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Former Liverpool keeper Karius joined the Magpies in September 2022, initially on a short-term deal, and has extended his stay for a second time.

The German has yet to make a Premier League appearance for the club, but played the full 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester United in February.

Newcastle have completed their swoop for AC Milan star Sandro Tonali as they gear up for a return to Champions League football.

The 23-year-old Italy midfielder has signed for an undisclosed fee – understood to be in excess of £50million – on an initial deal which will keep him at St James’ Park until 2028.

Tonali, who has 14 senior caps, has captained his country at the European Under-21s Championship in Georgia and Romania in recent weeks and the announcement of his signing came a day after the Italians exited the competition.

The former Brescia player said: “First of all, I want to thank Newcastle United because they are giving me a huge opportunity for my career.

“I want to repay the trust on the pitch, giving it my all, as I always have. I’m really excited about playing at St James Park, I can’t wait to feel the warmth of the fans.”

Tonali is the kind of marquee signing Magpies head coach Eddie Howe has been targeting since guiding the club to a top-four Premier League finish last season to end a two-decade exile from Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

Howe has signalled his intention to recruit quality rather than quantity this summer while remaining within the bounds of the spending limits under which a club which had invested more than £250million in the first three transfer windows under its new Saudi-backed owners must operate.

He has acknowledged the difficulty of competing on the domestic and European fronts next season and knows a repetition of a remarkable league campaign will be made all the tougher by the demands of rubbing shoulders with the continent’s big boys once again.

However, landing a player of Tonali’s stature is an indication of the direction Newcastle hope to take and the 45-year-old was delighted to have got his man.

Howe said: “I’m delighted to welcome Sandro to Newcastle United. He is an exceptional talent and has the mentality, physicality and technical attributes to be a great fit for us.

“At 23, Sandro already has important experience as a key player in one of Europe’s top leagues and in the Champions League, as well as playing for his country.

“But he also has the opportunity and potential to grow and evolve with us, and I’m excited to add him to our squad as we approach the exciting season ahead.”

Tonali began his career at Brescia, where he helped the club win promotion to Serie A, and moved to Milan during the summer of 2020, initially on a season-long loan deal.

He leaves with 130 appearances to his name in the Italian top flight and having played in all 12 of the Rossoneri’s Champions League fixtures last season as they made it to the semi-finals, where they were beaten by arch-rivals Inter.

Leading tennis players should speak out against "appalling" human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia as the Public Investment Fund (PIF) targets a partnership with the ATP Tour.

That is the view of Amnesty International's regional campaigner Reina Wehbi, who sees the prospective link as a way of distracting from the country's "crackdown" on basic rights. 

Earlier this week, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi told The Financial Times that talks had been held over a partnership between the PIF and the men's tour. 

Saudi Arabia's numerous sports investments – including the PIF's majority ownership of Newcastle United and the controversial LIV Golf circuit – have been denounced by critics as efforts to improve the country's reputation through 'sportswashing'. 

Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, Wehbi said tennis stars should not shy away from criticism of Saudi Arabia's record on human rights.

"Saudi Arabia is promoting its colossal investment in sporting events and entertainment as progress and reform. This is a far cry from its appalling human rights record," Wehbi said.

"Saudi Arabia's interest in the ATP fits into a wider pattern of sportswashing that the country has been using to divert attention from its escalated human rights violations.

"Authorities continue their crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. Almost every single human rights defender has been unlawfully detained in Saudi Arabia. 

"Last year, Amnesty recorded the highest number of executions in 30 years in Saudi Arabia. Human rights should be a primary consideration when choosing where to host international sporting events and sporting bodies have the responsibility to undertake due diligence to identify and mitigate human rights violations directly linked to their events.

"Tennis players and all other celebrities should make sure to use their celebrity status and their popular platforms to speak up against abuses and be the voice of those put behind bars for exercising their rights.

"They should make sure not to offer Saudi Arabia uncritical praise and not to help it avoid scrutiny for its continued human rights violations behind the scenes. 

"All players should advocate for the respect and protection of human rights wherever they are."

N’Golo Kante’s impending departure from Chelsea for Al-Ittihad and the prospect of several colleagues following him to the Middle East has thrust Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in football under the spotlight.

The potential flow of players from the big-spending Stamford Bridge club to the Gulf state has raised eyebrows in recent days amid allegations that the move could be a ploy to help it meet Financial Fair Play requirements.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look recent developments and how the Premier League could be affected.

Why are Chelsea offloading players?

The Blues have spent over £600million on players since American businessman Todd Boehly completed his takeover in May last year, including a £106.8million January swoop for World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez. They also splashed out £52million for RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku earlier this week.

Sales of the likes of Timo Werner and Jorginho have offset that expenditure only minimally and with the club having reported a loss of £121million for the 2021-22 season, Financial Fair Play rules which dictate that clubs can only make losses of £105million over three seasons are an issue.

Which players are reportedly involved?

Kante’s departure to the Gulf state may not be the last from Chelsea. Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have also been linked with switches to Saudi clubs.

They are not alone either – Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is expected to complete a move to Al-Hilal with former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo’s switch to Al-Nassr in January having established a clear pathway.

Why are so many players heading for Saudi Arabia?

The money on offer may have something to do with it. The Middle East state’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, took controlling stakes in four Saudi Pro League clubs – Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr – earlier this month as part of the wider ‘Vision 2030’ plan to diversify the Saudi economy. The country’s rulers also believe a thriving professional sports scene will help drive up grassroots activity levels in the kingdom.

The Saudis have signalled their intention to mount a bid to host the 2030 World Cup, and raising the standard and profile of the domestic league could prove crucial to that mission. PIF has the financial clout to recruit big names to the cause with Karim Benzema having already agreed to join Al-Ittihad.

It is not the first time an emerging league has adopted similar tactics. Pele, Franz Beckenbauer and Bobby Moore all played in the North American Soccer League at the end of their respective careers, while China has lured a host of top-flight stars to its Super League in recent years.

Public Investment Fund – that name sounds familiar?

It should. PIF holds an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle United, who have invested in excess of £250million in new signings since the Amanda Staveley-led consortium in which it is the major partner completed its buy-out at St James’ Park in October 2021.

The Magpies surged to a fourth-place finish in last season’s Premier League and secured Champions League football for the first time in 20 years to the delight of a fanbase which has been reinvigorated despite concerted criticism over the source of the club’s new-found wealth.

PIF, whose governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan is Newcastle’s chairman, is also a key player in the controversial merger between the LIV Golf series and the PGA and DP World Tours which has prompted fresh accusations of sportswashing.

Why all the fuss about Chelsea?

This is where it gets interesting. Private equity firm Clearlake Capital Group provided around 60 per cent of the funding for Boehly’s £2.5billion takeover and has underwritten much of the investment since; PIF is an investor with Clearlake. Financial experts have suggested such is the size of Clearlake’s portfolio that while some PIF money may form part of its holding in Chelsea, there is no direct link and therefore no risk of breaching Premier League rules which prohibit ownership of two clubs. However, the perception in some quarters is that any existing relationship between the Blues, the sovereign wealth fund and the four domestic clubs it now controls could allow them to sell on players for inflated fees and thereby reduce their FFP burden.

What has been said about the situation?

Former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, co-owner of League Two Salford, is unimpressed. Speaking to BBC Sport, Neville said: “The Premier League should put an instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia to ensure the integrity of the game isn’t being damaged. Checks should be made on the appropriateness of the transactions.”

Newcastle are hoping to push through a club record-breaking deal for AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali within days, the PA news agency understands.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth has been pictured in the Italian city after he flew out to try to negotiate the terms of a move which it is understood would exceed the club’s £60million swoop for Sweden striker Alexander Isak last summer.

Reports from Italy have suggested the 23-year-old, who is expected to captain his country in their opening Group D fixture against France at the European Under-21s Championships on Thursday evening, has agreed to the switch.

A successful conclusion to the talks would take Newcastle’s transfer spending under their new owners past the £300million mark.

Head coach Eddie Howe has identified Tonali as the holding midfielder he needs to allow Bruno Guimaraes in particular to thrive in an advanced role.

Howe has vowed to strengthen his squad for the new campaign, during which the Magpies will play Champions League football for the first time since the 2002-03 season, as he attempts to challenge on both the domestic and European fronts.

The 45-year-old guided the club to a fourth-place Premier League finish and the Carabao Cup final last season as they took a major step forward, but he is expecting a response from the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea this time around in the race for the top four.

Howe has been at pains to point out the spending restrictions under which the club must operate, but at the same time has signalled his intention to recruit quality rather than quantity this summer.

Tonali, who was a substitute in the senior Italy side’s 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifier defeat by England in March, made 48 appearances for Milan in all competitions last season and started both legs of their Champions League semi-final defeat by city rivals Inter.

Elano believes Newcastle United "will become powerful in Europe" after they qualified for next season's Champions League.

The Magpies finished fourth in Eddie Howe's first full term at St James' Park, their highest top-flight finish since the 2002-03 campaign under Bobby Robson.

Howe was appointed in 2021 shortly after Newcastle were taken over by a Saudi-backed consortium with the club spending over £200million in the transfer market since, a number that is sure to increase in the upcoming window ahead of a busy fixture list next season.

Elano, who scored 14 goals in 62 Premier League appearances for Manchester City between 2007 and 2009, feels the huge financial backing for Howe should see them become major players in Europe.

"Things are getting much more equal," Elano told Stats Perform. "Especially the clubs that didn't have the structure of [Manchester] United, Arsenal, Chelsea, who were the winning clubs.

"Newcastle, for example, who are in the Champions League, are also a powerful club. And they will become powerful in Europe, because they have the money for that. It is a club with an absurd growth margin."

Elano revealed he wanted to wear Newcastle's colours after facing them and maintains the Magpies can catch up to the Premier League's elite clubs.

"I confess to you that I wanted to play for Newcastle," Elano added. "I played a few games against Newcastle and I saw the quality of the fans, the stadium and the structure of the club.

"In world football, today, whoever doesn't have the training structure, the staff, the club structure, will be left behind.

"If we look at the Premier League, Liverpool didn't fight for the title. Arsenal were six or seven points ahead and lost the title. [Manchester] United were almost out [of the Champions League] again. Chelsea are out of the next Champions League.

"So, the organisation and the project of each club needs consistent work. Otherwise, whether it's the Premier League or any other league, clubs will fall behind."

In a career that also saw him play for the likes of Shakhtar Donetsk and Santos, attacking midfielder Elano made 50 appearances for his national team Brazil between 2004 and 2011.

With fellow South American native Mauricio Pochettino being appointed at Chelsea after the Blues finished in the bottom half of the Premier League last season, Elano says the former Tottenham boss must be given time to succeed after a tumultuous spell at Stamford Bridge.

"I think he can be successful if they give him time to work," Elano said. "If they detected that he should be the coach, they should give him time.

"A player, in three or four months, can be sold for £100million. Because in three months you can score goals, put in brilliant performances, then someone sees you and takes you. Not the coach. The coach in three months is formatting the team, setting up the team with his ideas.

"You get a team of 20 players, each one is different, each one has his own characteristics. And the coach has to put this together. It takes time."

Newcastle United are a "really big team" that deserve success, so says Georginio Wijnaldum.

The Magpies have had a transformative 20 months since they were taken over by a consortium backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in late 2021.

Under Eddie Howe's tutelage, Newcastle went from bottom of the Premier League at the start of 2022, to qualifying for the Champions League in under 18 months.

Wijnaldum spent a season with Newcastle in 2015-16 before he moved to Liverpool, and the Netherlands international hopes for the best for his old club.

"Really happy because Newcastle's a really big team," the midfielder told reporters after the Netherlands' Nations League loss to Croatia.

"I think a lot of people underestimate how big the club is and how loyal their supporters are.

"When I was there, I saw how hard they were trying to get results and to finish as high as possible and also the fans, who were standing by the team were amazing.

"So I think they deserve it. How they managed it throughout the years. I think they deserve how it is going right now."

Switching focus to his own future, Wijnaldum – who spent the season on loan at Roma from Paris Saint-Germain, but suffered a tibia fracture at the start of the campaign – conceded he is unsure over his next move.

"I don't know [what will happen]. I think it will be a surprise for everyone and also for me," he said.

"I just see what's going to happen and what options I will get and then you're going to see what's going to happen."

Callum Wilson revealed being dropped by both Newcastle and England fuelled his determination to fight back.

The striker’s post-World Cup slump saw him confined to the bench at Newcastle as he scored just once in 13 appearances.

It also saw him left out of the opening Euro 2024 qualifying wins over Ukraine and Italy in March.

However, Wilson is back to face Malta on Friday before Monday’s visit of North Macedonia to Old Trafford after scoring 11 goals across his final 12 games for Newcastle to fire them to fourth place in the Premier League.

He said: “I was finding myself on the bench and was used to playing week in, week out. All of a sudden, I was watching from the sidelines and coming on for 10 minutes at the end of the game.

“I didn’t like that. You want to play. You work hard all week and then on a matchday it is where you want to perform and score goals. I wasn’t getting to do that and knew I had to make sure I was working even harder to get back into the team.

“It was a weird one, playing a World Cup in the winter. Club and country is totally different as well. At the club you are playing regularly: week in, week out.

“Here, it is a bit more difficult to get game time and you have to bide your time, be professional and make sure you are doing everything you can on the training field.

“So to then go back into club football was exciting, really, as I had been away from it for so long and I was thinking I am going to start playing again a little bit more, especially as I was feeling so sharp as I was at the World Cup.

“I tried to use it in a positive way but yes, mentally, you do have to reset because you go on a drought of scoring goals.

“We went to Dubai for a mid-season training camp and we had five days there when we didn’t play football.

“We got to sit back and think, ‘yes it has been a fantastic start to the season but it has turned into a bad season’ when I was out of the team so I had to basically pull my finger out and start scoring goals again.”

The Magpies’ return to the Champions League after 20 years capped a successful season but it only sunk in for Wilson after he went to Sam Fender’s gig at St James’ Park on Sunday.

He said: “I went to the concert with my wife at St James’ Park. There was a sea of black and white and, before he came out, he actually played the Champions League song and everyone was cheering and I was like, ‘this is absolutely real’.

“I could see how much it meant to everybody in the stadium at that time. Hearing the anthem in the stadium, without actually walking out to play, was surreal. This is going to happen next season and I cannot wait to get started.”

Along with his love of music, Wilson is also a keen art collector as he looks to build his portfolio.

“I’m trying to add slowly at the right time. Banksy, Daimen Hirst, Tracey Emin, a few little pieces. Mr Doodle, I’ve got that one piece,” said the 31-year-old.

“Art is art, isn’t it? It’s down to everyone’s personal preference. Me personally, I took a shine to it, in terms of investment side of things and then you actually start to get into it, ‘I’ll put that on the wall’.

“I want to get something that’s got a bit of value and means something and try and find the right pieces at the right time.”

Newcastle midfielder Joelinton has revealed he received racist messages following last month’s Premier League defeat to Arsenal.

The 26-year-old spoke about the subject while on international duty with Brazil, saying “many things need to be changed”.

Newcastle were beaten 2-0 by the Gunners at St James’ Park on May 7.

“It’s an important moment to speak about racism,” Joelinton told a press conference. “We have been talking about it for a long time.

“Still, many things need to be changed. We talk about a combat against racism but we didn’t have much of a change.

“This (racism) is not something happening now, but for a long time.

“And, in the 21st century, we still see things like that. It’s hard to accept and believe that we are evolving when things like that still happen.”

Asked if he had suffered racist abuse, the player replied: “Not on the pitch, no.

“But after that match against Arsenal playing at home, I have received some messages with racist insults. But it’s gone, it didn’t affect me.”

Joelinton, who is in line to win his first cap for his country in upcoming friendlies against Guinea and Senegal, received a message of support from his club.

A post on Newcastle’s official Twitter account read: “There is no room for racism. Anywhere. We’re with you, Joe.”