Here’s some of the latest Magpies gossip from around the web: Southampton deal in doubt Newcastle have been heavily linked with a move for Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina – yet a potential deal now appears in doubt. The 27-year-old will be out of contract next summer and it’s been claimed the Saints value the player at around £4million. Yet according to the Daily Mail, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is reluctant to pay a fee for players over the age of 27, with Lemina set to turn 28 in September. The report claims the Magpies were willing to discuss a player swap but Southampton aren’t interested in the proposed options. Newcastle close to Murphy deal It’s also been reported that Newcastle are close to agreeing a new contract with winger Jacob Murphy. The 26-year-old, who made 26 Premier League appearances last season, has reportedly attracted interest from several clubs in recent months, including top-flight sides Leeds, Burnley, Southampton and Watford, as well as SPL champions Rangers. Newcastle recently triggered an option in Murphy’s contract to extend his stay at St James’ Park by 12 months until the summer of 2022. And according to Football Insider, Murphy is now in advanced talks with Newcastle over a new long-term contract. Arsenal defender assessing his future Finally, reported Newcastle target William Saliba looks set to hold crunch talks with Arsenal over his future. Saliba moved to North London from Saint-Etienne in 2019 for a fee believed to be in the region of £30million, but has not made a single competitive appearance for the Gunners amid two loan spells in France at Saint-Etienne and Nice. With Arsenal set to sign Brighton defender Ben White, Saliba's future remains in doubt, with French sides Marseille and Nice, as well as Newcastle, all said to be interested in a loan move for the 20-year-old. According to Football.london, Saliba's agent is holding talks with Arsenal’s technical director Edu over the Frenchman's future at the Emirates Stadium to assess what is best for the player. A message from the Football Clubs Editor Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative football coverage 365 days a year. This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package here. Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor