Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - February 11, 2023. Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe arrives at the stadium.
Newcastle United have set aside ‘huge’ funds to make a ‘box-office’ midfield signing this summer, according to reports in the last 48 hours.
The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed
Jonjo Shelvey made the permanent switch to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in January and Bruno Guimaraes is currently serving a suspension, making the need for central reinforcements clear given the lack of depth in their absence.
The Magpies were linked with several names last month, including Chelsea trio Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Hakim Ziyech, but any kind of deal failed to materialise before the deadline.
PIF and Eddie Howe will already be in the process of identifying targets for the upcoming window, and it sounds like Dan Ashworth is working behind the scenes to make something happen.
The Latest: Newcastle eyeing midfielder
According to Football Insider, Newcastle have set aside ‘huge’ funds to prioritise a ‘marquee’ midfield signing in the summer as a partner for Guimaraes.
Sporting director Ashworth and his recruitment team are ‘scouring the market’ to find the most suitable candidates, with ‘groundwork’ already being laid on potential deals.
The Verdict: Move for Rice…
Newcastle are reportedly expected to enter the race for West Ham United captain Declan Rice, who looks set to be on the move this summer, and he would be the perfect player to slot into the midfield alongside Bruno.
The England international is naturally a defence-minded player who loves to get stuck in, which shows in his numbers as he’s currently averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per league game (WhoScored).
The Adidas-sponsored talisman can also be a threat in the final third though having posted 23 senior goal contributions during his time at the London Stadium, making him a fantastic central option to have in the building at St. James’ Park.
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