NEWCASTLE MAKE FIRST MOVE FOR "INCREDIBLE" IN-DEMAND FREE AGENT FOR HOWE
Still battling to finish inside the Premier League's Europa League places to salvage what has been a disappointing season compared to the last campaign, Newcastle United will hope to use European football to lure a bargain deal to St James' Park this summer.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies shocked the rest of the Premier League last season by qualifying for the Champions League and finishing inside the top four. Since then, however, they have been brought back down to reality in a frustrating campaign full of injuries and the type of inconsistency that should urge them into action in the summer transfer window.
Howe must now unleash Hall and Newcastle's "monster" talent
The Magpies are looking to return to winning ways at St James' Park on Saturday.With that said, Newastle have already been linked with the likes of Lorenzo Pirola and Ousmane Diomande in two deals to bolster Eddie Howe's backline. As things stand, the former Bournemouth boss will be left scratching his head for options without Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles at the start of next season after both suffered untimely ACL injuries, but will hope to see the transfer market solve that problem.
Away from the backline, meanwhile, the Magpies could also land a vital midfield reinforcement. According to reports in Spain, Newcastle have expressed interest in signing Wilfred Ndidi in a free deal this summer. The Leicester City man is set to leave the Foxes at the end of the season upon the expiry of his current contract and has instantly become a player in demand, with Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham United all reportedly making initial contact to make their interest known.
A player with plenty of Premier League experience and even some experience in the Champions League, Ndidi is the calibre of player that those at St James' Park should be targeting. Given that he will be a free agent too, Newcastle wouldn't be running the risk of crossing the line when it comes to profit and sustainability rules.
"Incredible" Ndidi can unleash Guimaraes
As impressive as Bruno Guimaraes has been this season, he still has plenty of defensive responsibility in the absence of a top level defensive midfielder. And that's where Ndidi could arrive to unleash the attacking talents of the Brazilian in full. Ndidi has helped do the same with James Maddison in the past and would perform a similar job for a more all round player in Guimaraes, especially compared to Sean Longstaff.
| League stats 23/24 per 90 (via FBref) | Wilfred Ndidi | Sean Longstaff |
|---|---|---|
| Progressive Carries | 1.74 | 0.63 |
| Progressive Passes | 4.20 | 4.65 |
| Tackles Won | 1.14 | 1.07 |
| Interceptions | 1.19 | 0.55 |
| Ball Recoveries | 4.20 | 4.02 |
Ndidi has proven himself in the Premier League's top half in the past, earning praise from former Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers in the process: "He is an incredible player. The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work. He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there. The timing of his challenge is very good and he's up there with the top players at winning the ball back."
Now, it could be Newcastle who are left benefitting from the Nigerian's work in what would be a bargain deal this summer.
2024-04-29T07:14:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd