Hojbjerg Rejects Newcastle's Offer

Newcastle United's plan to strengthen their midfield has hit an unexpected obstacle. According to Fabrizio Romano, despite being fully prepared to pay whatever fee Olympique de Marseille demanded, the club has seen 31-year-old Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg personally turn down the move. Romano wrote: "Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's move to Newcastle currently OFF following new talks in the recent hours. NUFC were prepared to pay what OM wanted but Hojbjerg has decided to turn down the proposal."

According to the report, the transfer was called off entirely following fresh talks between the clubs and the player's representatives; despite Newcastle fully meeting Marseille's financial expectations, Hojbjerg opted to remain committed to his current project under head coach Roberto De Zerbi rather than return to England. Having previously spent a long spell in the Premier League with Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, the Danish international is said to have decided that staying in France better suited his career continuity.

With Newcastle facing a midfield gap following the departures of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, the club is said to now need to identify alternative targets following this rejection. While his agent Luca Puccinelli had previously not entirely ruled out a Premier League return, Hojbjerg's latest decision is said to be clear-cut. Hojbjerg, who joined Marseille on loan from Tottenham in the summer of 2024 before making the move permanent a year later and holding a contract until 2028, is said to have been head coach Matthias Jaissle's priority target, leaving Newcastle needing to find an alternative midfield solution before the deadline.

Source: Fabrizio Romano
Image: Vietnam VN