Newcastle United linked with new defender move as checks made on 20y/o Belgian
Newcastle United are open to signing a defender this month after recent injuries to Fabian Schar and Tino Livramento.
Newcastle United have reportedly shown interest in Club Brugge full-back Joaquin Seys.
As reported by NewcastleWorld, the Magpies were in no mood to act this window when initial plans were drawn up in December, instead preferring to keep their powder dry until the summer.
However, several injuries in the backline in recent weeks have forced a rethink, with United exploring the market for a defender.
Eddie Howe’s side have recently lost both Tino Livramento and Fabian Schar to long-term injuries, with Livramento rumoured to be out for eight weeks, while it’s been confirmed Schar is sidelined until April at the earliest.
Dan Burn is closest to returning, with the hope he can return in the next 10 days. There is, however, no definitive return date for Emil Krafth or Jamaal Lascelles, with the latter likely to leave the club before the winter market shuts on Monday, February 2.
As it stands, Newcastle have just four fit senior defenders in Kieran Trippier, Malick Thiaw, Sven Botman and Lewis Hall, all of whom played 90 minutes in the goalless draw away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.
And there is little time for the quartet to recover with PSV Eindhoven visiting St James’ Park in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Newcastle United ‘check on’ Club Brugge defender Joaquin Seys
Daily Mail Sport claims Club Brugge full-back Joaquin Seys is a player of interest, having made ‘checks’ on the 20-year-old.
Seys, who broke into Brugge’s first team last season, has made over 70 appearances, as well as earned two caps for Belgium. He has previously attracted interest from Nottingham Forest.
Capable of playing both right-back and left-back, though predominantly the latter, Seys would immediately provide cover for Hall and Trippier, whose longer-term future is uncertain with the 35-year-old out of contract in the summer.
Newcastle United weighing up January move for defender
Speaking about the club’s transfer plans on Friday, Howe said: “I think it's very fluid at the moment. I’d say we're still in that watching, holding pattern, and we'll wait and see what happens in the last few weeks.
“All options are available to us. We're trying to make the right decisions collectively. I've said this so many times, so you're bored of me saying it, but there's a lot to consider. Summer activity, January activity, value for money, the right players being available, so we'll take all that into account and try and make the right decision.
“We've got hopefully Dan [Burn] coming back, which will be a big boost for us in the not-too-distant future, but then we have to make a decision with the amount of games we have to come, what's the likelihood of us picking up more injuries in those positions.
“Hopefully that's not something we have to deal with, but it's very difficult to predict. But I think we have to be ready to act, and I know there's a lot of work being done in that case.”