Axel Witsel is set to leave Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and Newcastle United could be his destination, according to SPORT1.
The lowdown
The £8.1-m rated 32-year-old will be out of contract come the end of the season (via Transfermarkt).
The defensive midfielder has made 123 appearances for Dortmund across two spells at the Westfalenstadion, winning one DFB-Pokal and one German Super Cup.
He's also racked up 120 caps for Belgium and featured prominently at four major tournaments - two World Cups and two European Championships.
Prior to Euro 2020, international team-mate Jan Vertonghen confessed himself 'amazed' by Witsel's 'unbelievable' recovery from a serious injury to make it in time for the tournament, am indicator of the 32-year-old's determination and resilience to come through for his nation.
The latest
The report from SPORT1 stated that 'there have not been any talks' between Witsel's camp and Dortmund over a new deal for the Bundesliga giants, which means that he is 'all set to say goodbye' as things stand. That could be in January if Dortmund want to take their last opportunity to cash in on him, or at the end of the season.
Witsel is said to be 'open to a change', with Newcastle and Juventus named as two clubs battling it out for his signature.
The verdict
Witsel remains a key player at Dortmund, featuring in all 12 of their Bundesliga matches so far this season, so there's no sign of him being phased out.
He is a defensive midfielder in the mould of Liverpool's Fabinho and Paris Saint-Germain's Danilo Pereira, and that could be precisely what Newcastle need right now. They've leaked 27 Premier League goals this season, the joint-worst record in the division.
They desperately need some security in front of their leaky defence, and with the Belgian winning 1.6 tackles per game over the course of his career, he could be just the man to provide it.
In other news, this goalkeeper is apparently likely to join Newcastle.