Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe could be seeing something in Aston Villa captain Tyrone Mings that no one else is, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Mings to St. James’ Park?
According to the Daily Mirror, the defender is a £35m target for the Magpies this summer. These rumours of course arise from Howe’s experience managing the 29-year-old, as he brought him to Bournemouth back in 2015 whilst he was still in charge at the south coast club.
Football Insider previously claimed that Villa manager Steven Gerrard was keen on replacing the England international this summer. Since then, the Midlands outfit secured the signing of highly rated Diego Carlos from La Liga side Sevilla.
The Latest: Jones’ claim
After a disappointing season for the Villa man resulted in him being dropped from the England squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures in June, Jones believes that Howe still believes in his former player.
Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed:
“Maybe Eddie Howe sees something in Tyrone Mings that most of the country can’t right now. Maybe he believes that a change of environment, a change of team, is exactly what he needs and that he can get the best out of him.
“So if he can, fair play, but he doesn’t seem like the guy that’s going to turn things around. And certainly if you’re comparing him to Sven Botman, you’re looking at a very different level of player.”
The Verdict: Questionable signing
Whilst Mings has a wealth of experience in the English top-flight having made 122 appearances in the league, the defender has been on the receiving end of mixed reviews in recent times.
Whilst TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor heaped praise on the 29-year-old for his “outstanding performances”, another former Villa player, Alan Hutton, slammed the lack of “organisation” and “communication” of Villa's Mings-led defence following a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham.
However, if Howe believes he can get the best out of Mings, then Newcastle could be getting an experienced Premier League ‘leader' (Gareth Southgate).
In other news: Newcastle United: Magpies have made enquiries for Adama Traore