Newcastle United learn transfer target stance as ‘brutal showcase’ admission made

Newcastle United are being linked with a move for a full-back ahead of the January transfer window.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Newcastle United are said to be in the mix to land a new full-back ahead of the winter transfer window, but the player’s current club are desperate to keep him.

The Magpies have been busy on the transfer front in the last year or so following the takeover. Newcastle have money to spend, and they are not afraid to spend it, as proven by the last January transfer window, and indeed the summer, when they splashed out more than £60million to sign Alexander Isak.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

So far, the spending plan has worked, with the Magpies sitting in third place heading into the World Cup break - a start to the season even the most ambitious members of the Toon Army won’t have envisaged.

Crafty transfers and fine management from Eddie Howe have helped that happen, but the season is far from finished - less than halfway through - and the project at St James’ Park is far from finished. Howe and the club’s transfer chiefs will already be planning for the winter window, especially with the World Cup break allowing more time for studying potential targets.

And according to Bild, Newcastle are eyeing a deal to sign Stuttgart star Borna Sosa. who will be competing at the World Cup with Croatia this winter.

The report claims Newcastle are in the mix to land Sosa, who plays as a left wing-back for Stuttgart, though he can also play at left-back. The Magpies, Inter Milan and Atalanta are all said to be interested in a deal. Sosa is under contract until 2025 as things stand, but he is said to be an ambitious player, and the World Cup is a fine opportunity for players to showcase their talents.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That’s something Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat has acknowledged, telling BILD: “The World Cup is a brutal showcase. But my clear wish is that Borna stays. He is an absolute quality player. It would be hard enough to replace him in the summer. A transfer in winter would not be good. That would weaken us. It’s very important that we maintain the quality of the squad. Then we will be strong enough to stay up in the league.”

Sosa is valued at £17.5million by Transfermarkt, but given the length of his contract, it’s likely he would cost significantly more. It will be interesting to see if Newcastle scout the 24-year-old at the World Cup. Though, even if they do, it seems they won’t be alone.

Related topics: