Newcastle have “explored” moves for six centre-backs, according to the Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope.
The journalist says that Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo, Bayer Leverkusen pair Edmond Tapsoba & Odilon Kossounou, Torino’s Perr Schurrs, Crystal Palace’s Joachim Andersen and Benfica’s Antonio Silva have all been shortlisted as possible targets:
➡️ Eddie Howe would ‘love’ one more signing but says NUFC need to be ‘creative’ because of FFP
❓ Could be loan or structured deal but selling player to release funds is ‘not viable option’
📜 Understand Todibo, Tapsoba, Schurrs, Andersen, Kossounou, A Silva all explored at CB— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) August 11, 2023
As Hope mentions, Magpies boss Eddie Howe has expressed a desire to sign one player before the transfer window shuts on September 1st. Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, Howe said:
“I’d love one more player. That’s what I’d love personally, and I think then we would have the ideal depth at the moment, with the injuries that we currently have. Have I been assured that the funds are there to do that? Not 100 percent.”
“It depends on the deal, and I think we may have to be creative with this last player. It’s difficult to make that a definite because it depends on injuries between now and the window shutting.”
Financial Fairplay is a factor for Newcastle
As both Hope and Howe suggest, there are restrictions that the Magpies have to work within due to Financial Fairplay rules.
Getting “creative” would mean a loan deal of some sort, with the potential option/obligation to buy next year, but it is unlikely that the targets being looked at can be signed in such a way.
Todibo, for example, is being heavily linked with Manchester United, and Nice want at least €40m (£34m) for the defender. Tapsoba, meanwhile, is also wanted by the Red Devils and Tottenham. His fee could be even higher. Newcastle may have to set their sights lower if they are to bring in a new centre-half this summer.
