Newcastle make “excellent” £25m defender their top January transfer target - sports news foot

Newcastle United have now identified an “excellent” defender as their top transfer target, according to a report.

Newcastle transfer news

At the end of October, it was reported that Eddie Howe believes his side is lacking at right wing and centre-back, but the financial restrictions he is forced to work under means it may be difficult to strengthen in the January transfer window.

That said, Howe is still weighing up options in those areas of the pitch, with the same report detailing that Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo is on Newcastle’s list of targets, while other options are being considered at centre-back.

Paul Mitchell is also said to be plotting a move to sign Club Brugge centre-back Joel Ordonez, having sent scouts to run the rule over the 20-year-old during the Belgian side’s 2-1 victory against Sporting Club in the Champions League.

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Newcastle consider Khusanov top target

Ordonez is not the only young centre-back that Mitchell has his eye on, with GiveMeSport revealing that Mitchell is personally spearheading a move to bring Abdukodir Khusanov to St James’ Park, having been impressed by his performances.

Now, there has been a new update on the Magpies’ pursuit of Khusanov, with Saturday’s edition of La Voix du Nord revealing that he is at the top of their list of targets, having caught the eye due to his impressive performances for Lens this season. (via Sport Witness)

However, Lens will not consider selling the 20-year-old unless they receive a fee of at least €30m (£25m), and there may be competition for his signature, as both Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur also consider him a priority target. At the moment, it remains to be seen whether Newcastle formalise their interest by making an official bid.

It is clear to see why the Magpies are interested in the youngster, given that he has already established himself in the starting XI of a side fighting for Europe in Ligue 1, and he has put in some very impressive performances over the past year.

Perhaps the Uzbekistan international’s best attribute is his reading of the game, ranking in the 99th percentile per 90 for interceptions compared to his positional peers, while he also places in the 83rd percentile for blocks, showcasing his defensive aptitude.

Journalist Coralie Salle lauded the Tashkent-born defender as “excellent” earlier this season, while also claiming that he “has all the qualities to sign for a top European club”, given that he is fast, powerful and a good receiver of the ball.

With Newcastle operating under financial limitations, £25m is a relatively affordable asking price for a rising talent who could go on to be a top player, so they should continue to monitor his progress as the season progresses.