Newcastle United‘s owners are ready to complete the signing of an “incredible” defender with bags of “charisma”, according to a new transfer update.
Newcastle eyeing defensive signing
The Magpies have had a disastrous time of things in the injury department all season long, with an almost unfathomable string of fitness issues affecting so many players. Not only has it meant that Eddie Howe has been without numerous important individuals in both the Premier League and the Champions League, but it has also led to other available figures playing too much football and looking fatigued.
For that reason, it could now be that Howe looks to make some key signings during the January transfer window, with defensive additions potentially at the forefront of the manager’s thoughts, especially with Sven Botman unavailable for so much of the campaign.
Dan Burn is another player who has been out for a large chunk of action in 2023/24 to date, so while centre-back is one area to focus on, left-back reinforcements could arrive, too. Crystal Palace and England ace Marc Guehi has been seen as an option for the Newcastle, with a bid possibly arriving at some point soon, while Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio, who can play in both positions, has also been mooted as a target.
Newcastle readying bid for Andrea Cambiaso
According to Tutto Juve [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are keen on signing Juventus left-back Andrea Cambiaso, and have even set aside a fixed sum they are willing to use to get the deal done.
Aston Villa and Fulham are also believed to be in the mix to snap up the 23-year-old, so it won’t necessarily be easy for the Magpies to get their man. Newcastle and their fellow Premier League rivals are “willing to spend” €15m (£13m) on Cambiaso, although Juve are not keen on the idea of allowing him to leave at this point in his career.
The left-back could be a brilliant signing by the Magpies if they do manage to get a deal over the line in the January window, with Italy legend Mauro Tassotti once saying of him:
“I was immediately struck by Andrea’s ability to play both left and right. And above all his ability to kick with both feet. I haven’t yet understood whether he is right or left-footed. In this sense, he is similar to Paolo Maldini who however was much more powerful from a physical standpoint, had incredible charisma and was also very strong defensively, so much so that he ended his career as a centre-back.”
Cambiaso could be a similarly strong option to Burn, possessing his all-round expertise that has shone throughout this season in Serie A to date, while he can also play on the right flank, offering similar versatility to that of Tino Livramento.
Newcastle desperately need some fresh legs ahead of the second half of the season – failure to bring in new faces could be fatal to their top four hopes – and the Juve man is someone who ticks so many boxes.