Monchi says Newcastle talks over Sevilla defender Diego Carlos transfer are ‘finished’

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for free

Sign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Sevilla director of football Monchi says there will be no further negotiations with Newcastle United over the proposed move of centre-back Diego Carlos this transfer window.

The Magpies have been heavily linked with the Brazilian during January, as they look to strengthen the squad and fight relegation.

Eddie Howe’s side have already added Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, while the likes of Nat Phillips from Liverpool and Bruno Guimaraes of Lyon have joined Carlos in being rumoured to be on the St. James’ Park side’s wishlist, but the 28-year-old defender will not be heading to Tyneside until at least the end of the season.

Monchi praised the conduct of the Newcastle board and said the first bid arrived in December, but stood firm over the matter being closed.

“The Newcastle offer was a good offer, a respectable offer. I have to say that,” he told media on a conference call.

“But the offer, our board and management team thought it wasn’t enough. It’s true that maybe it wasn’t the right time. It’s a difficult market to find a replacement for a player like Diego Carlos. It’s a market that takes place over a very short period of time. Maybe if that offer comes along in the summer then things might have changed.

“The offer was a very good offer, a very respectable offer but not at the best possible time.

“The first offer was a month ago. With Newcastle it’s been very correct the way it’s gone ahead. We’ve had video calls and each side has explained their view. We consider the negotiation finished because I don’t think we’re going to start negotiations again because we’re all clear how we think about this transfer.”

Sevilla are in a battle of their own in LaLiga, albeit at the complete opposite end of the table.

They are in second, four points off leaders Real Madrid, with the two sides set to meet in Andalucia in April in what might be a table-topping decider.

That push for silverware perhaps leads Carlos to be more inclined to stay until the season’s end, with Monchi saying there has been no encouragement from the Brazilian to accept an offer.

“I was talking to Diego this morning and he’s happy. At the end of the day he’s staying here at his club, a club that really wanted him.

“If he was really angry then maybe he would have changed his opinion but he seems happy.”

Newcastle are also keen on Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Brennan Johnson, but their interest in Jesse Lingard does not appear likely to result in the Manchester United attacker moving on loan.