Newcastle United are reportedly interested in a move for Stuttgart left-back Borna Sosa ahead of the January transfer window.
The Lowdown: Left-back issues
Despite the Magpies’ great start to the Premier League season – they head into Christmas in third place in the table – they have had a small issue at left-back.
2022 signing Matt Targett has fallen out of favour under Eddie Howe, while Jamal Lewis has only played seven minutes of top-flight football so far this season.
Howe has opted to play Dan Burn, a more natural central defender, at left-back in recent matches, so this could be an area of the pitch that PIF look to address in January.
The Latest: Sosa interest
As per German news outlet Bild, Newcastle are one of three clubs who are thought to be interested in signing Sosa in January, alongside Serie A duo Inter Milan and Atalanta.
The Croatian has recently changed agency in order to potentially help force through a move, and he now shares the same agent as seven Magpies players.
However, Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat is hoping that Sosa stays put, having been full of praise for the 6 foot 2 colossus, calling him an ‘absolute quality‘ player.
The Verdict: Get it done
With Howe chopping and changing at left-back, Sosa is a player who could possibly make the position his own on Tyneside over the next few years.
Hailed as a ‘crossing machine‘ by journalist Ronan Murphy, the 24-year-old’s ability in that regard has been likened to Premier League and England legend David Beckham by Mislintat.
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That is evidenced by his return of eight assists in just 13 games already this term, including three in one match in the DFB-Pokal Cup in Germany (Transfermarkt).
Capped eight times by the Croatia national team, Sosa is set to star for the 2018 runners-up at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and he will certainly be one to watch for the eagle-eyed Toon Army.
