Key keywords: Newcastle United, Liverpool FC, Manchester United, £35m transfer target, 2024 January transfer window, Premier League transfer news, forward transfer speculation Fresh off their impressive 3-1 Premier League win over Aston Villa, Newcastle United have publicly dismissed an official approach from Liverpool for their £35m-rated first-team forward, while senior club sources have also confirmed that Manchester United registered preliminary interest in the player over the past seven days. A well-placed Newcastle transfer insider revealed to football media on Tuesday that the Magpies received a formal written bid worth £31 million plus £4 million in performance-related add-ons from Liverpool earlier this week, but the offer was rejected within two hours of being received, with club directors describing the valuation as “laughably low” for a player who has notched 7 goals and provided 5 assists across all competitions so far in the 2023/24 season. “Newcastle are under zero pressure to sell any of our core first-team players in the January window, especially not a talent who has fit so seamlessly into Eddie Howe’s high-press system and become a firm fan favourite at St James’ Park,” the insider shared. “We have made it explicitly clear to both Liverpool and Manchester United that the player is not for sale at any price that falls below his £60m release clause, and any further offers below that threshold will not even be tabled for discussion by our transfer committee.” Liverpool are reportedly looking to add depth to their front line after Diogo Jota suffered a medial collateral ligament injury earlier this month that is expected to keep him sidelined for up to 10 weeks, leaving Jurgen Klopp short of options across the front three. Manchester United, meanwhile, are scrambling to find a replacement for Antony, who has been ruled out for eight weeks with a hamstring injury picked up in their recent FA Cup third-round tie against Wigan Athletic. Newcastle’s hardline stance comes as no surprise to Premier League analysts, who note that the club’s Saudi Arabian ownership has prioritized retaining key talent as they push for a top-four finish and a deep run in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages this season. The 24-year-old forward in question signed a five-year contract with Newcastle when he joined the club from Everton in 2022, and has no desire to leave Tyneside halfway through the campaign, according to statements from his agent earlier this week. As of Wednesday afternoon, neither Liverpool nor Manchester United have announced plans to submit an improved bid for the player, but transfer market experts predict that both clubs could come back with offers matching Newcastle’s £60m asking price before the transfer window closes on February 1, given their urgent need for attacking reinforcements.