Newcastle United are expecting movements from both directions in the summer transfer market, with Eddie Howe looking to make astute investments after qualifying for the Champions League.
Though the Magpies are skating on thinner ice than most of their Premier League rivals in regard to the PSR front, they should be able to emerge from the market unscathed, making as many as four first-team additions.
Howe will certainly be hoping to secure a new defensive signature, with The Telegraph already revealing rekindled interest in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, who is worth £65m and has one year left on his contract.
However, PIF might want United to make a shrewder signing, and there’s one in particular which could fit the bill.
Newcastle to intensify talks for new CB
According to Caught Offside, Newcastle are ready to up their pursuit of Monaco defender Wilfried Singo, who is also being targeted by Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Talks are expected to intensify soon, with further suitors across Europe looking to get involved given the Ivory Coast international is available for a bargain €35m (£30m).
The 24-year-old has a wealth of choice to pick from, should he leave, but Newcastle’s interest dates back to 2022, so they may be able to tempt him to join the fold at St. James’ Park.
What Wilfried Singo would bring to Newcastle
Singo rose from Serie A side Torino’s academy before joining Monaco in a €9m (£7m) deal back in August 2023, having since gone from strength to strength in France and earned praise as a “freak athlete” and a “duel monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson.
Powerful and pacy, Singo’s strengths have been utilised on the wide flank at times, but there’s no question he’s at his best in a central defensive berth.
His eye for goal and natural progressiveness have even led him to be linked by FBref as Real Madrid star Dean Huijsen’s most comparable player, ranking among the top 1% of centre-halves across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal involvements, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
It becomes even clearer when assessing the respective defenders’ metrics from the recently completed campaign.
|
League Stats 24/25 – Wilfried Singo vs Dean Huijsen |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per game) |
Singo |
Huijsen |
|
Matches (starts) |
27 (23) |
32 (26) |
|
Goals |
1 |
3 |
|
Assists |
2 |
2 |
|
Touches* |
65.9 |
63.9 |
|
Pass completion |
87% |
84% |
|
Key passes* |
0.3 |
0.5 |
|
Ball recoveries* |
5.1 |
3.3 |
|
Tackles + interceptions* |
3.0 |
2.7 |
|
Clearances* |
4.0 |
6.1 |
|
Duels (won)* |
4.7 (60%) |
3.6 (56%) |
|
Data via Sofascore |
||
Huijsen was on Newcastle’s radar, as per the BBC, after his exemplary season with Bournemouth, but when Los Blancos came calling, activating his £50m release clause, the Spain star only had one destination in mind, rejecting a wealth of Premier League interest.
Given the Magpies’ desire for Guehi, too, it’s clear this is a priority position, and Singo’s ostensible availability could lead to an official in the coming weeks, not that talks are intensifying.
Technically proficient and a confident and commanding defensive presence, Singo could prove to be Newcastle’s very own version of Huijsen next season, providing the requisite quality at the back to ensure the club can wade deep into Champions League competition and challenge for a place at the forefront of the Premier League.
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