Newcastle United make ‘approach’ to hijack Bologna deal for £25m rated defender

Newcastle United remain locked in talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for England star Marc Guehi, in what continues to be one of the longest running sagas of the transfer window.

As it stands, the Magpies are pushing hard to get the deal done, but after two rejected bids this summer, there is a feeling emerging from Newcastle’s recruitment team that they may also need to pursue alternative targets in case a deal breaks down, as reported via The Athletic.

Eddie Howe’s side currently have Fabian Schar, Dan Burn and new recruit Lloyd Kelly as their main centre back options for the first six months of the season while Emil Krafth has occasionally been switched from right back to the centre.

Long-term injuries to Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman proved detrimental last term and the Magpies are keen to bolster their squad to avoid a repeat of last season’s injury crisis. As it stands, the likes of AC Milan star Malick Thiaw and Guehi’s centre back partner Joachim Andersen have all been linked with a move to the North East if the Guehi deal breaks down - and now a new name that has entered the fray is Toulouse ace Logan Costa.

Costa is a 23-year-old Cape Verde international with 14 caps. He came through the Reims academy but made the move to Toulouse in 2021.

The young defender enjoyed an impressive campaign last season which saw him make 38 appearances across all competitions while helping his team to an 11th place finish. Costa is a tough-tackling 6ft 3 inc defender with great composure and the ability to thrive in aerial duels.

He showcased great potential in Europe, prompting interest from Bologna throughout the summer as they aim to assemble a team for next season’s Champions League. 

However, TuttoBolognaWeb, have reported that Bologna’s talks have reached a ‘permanent stalemate’ for the defender after Newcastle made what has been described as a ‘survey’ for the Cape Verde man.

Toulouse are reported to value the defender at around £20 to £25m which makes him a much cheaper alternative to Guehi if a deal cannot be struck between Newcastle and Crystal Palace.