Newcastle: Fabrizio Romano shares transfer news on defender
It looks like a key area of the pitch to improve in.
Newcastle United are still looking to get more transfer business done this summer and Fabrizio Romano has dropped a key update regarding it
Are Newcastle signing more players?
The Magpies made an incredible start to their 2023/24 Premier League season on Saturday night, winning 5-1 at home to a much-fancied Aston Villa side.
It was a fantastic attacking performance by Newcastle, with striker Alexander Isak netting twice and new signings Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes also among the goalscorers, suggesting that another hugely exciting campaign could lie ahead.
It has been a productive summer at St James’ Park, with Tonali and Barnes the most high-profile additions, immediately showing the impact they could have against Villa.
The hope is that Newcastle’s business doesn’t stop there, however, with the funds available to further improve the squad all over the pitch. One area that has seemingly been seen as a key area to bolster is central defence, even though Sven Botman and Fabian Schar have forged an impressive understanding over the past 12 months or so.
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Will Newcastle sign a centre-back?
Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano claimed that Newcastle are focusing on signing a new centre-back before the end of the month, in order to improve their options during a busy season and have a list with a number of options.
“For Newcastle, a centre-back is the next position they will try to add to. There is no clarity yet over a final name, but they have a list with many players on it. The club were looking at Axel Disasi for some time but he was too expensive and joined Chelsea.”
It is positive to hear that Newcastle are trying to add a new defender to their squad, at a time when Botman and Schar are arguably relied upon a little too much, with an injury to either proving to be problematic.
That being said, the latter does turn 32 years of age later this and can be improved upon, with some ruthlessness needed from the Magpies, in terms of turning him from a key starter into a squad player.
For Eddie Howe’s side to challenge in both the Premier League and the Champions League, as well as in the domestic cups, they may need three or four genuinely good centre-back options, in order for effective rotation to be used and for the team to look strong regardless of who is playing at the back.
Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen is one player who has been linked with a move to Newcastle – they missed out on Monaco defender Axel Disasi, who has joined Chelsea instead – and the Dane could be exactly what they are looking for before the summer transfer window closes.
He now has plenty of Premier League experience, meaning there wouldn’t be the risk of him coming in and taking time to adjust to a different culture and speed of play, and he is a towering presence who is also a class act in possession, winning four aerial duels in Saturday’s 1-0 win away to Crystal Palace, as well as enjoying a 92.9% pass completion rate.
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