Newcastle United will be looking to strengthen their defence this summer, especially after the recent long-term injuries to the likes of Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles, with the pair expected to miss up to nine months after suffering ACL injuries.
The various setbacks have seen regular left-back Dan Burn shift to a more central role, as a left-sided centre-back, which has seen the 31-year-old look back to his best in recent outings.
However, Eddie Howe‘s side are desperately lacking squad depth in defensive areas, with the Saudi PIF certainly needing to invest in reinforcements during the upcoming summer transfer window.
Ahead of the summer, the club are said to hold a keen interest in a promising central defender, but they may face stiff competition for his signature from numerous sides all over Europe given his excellent form this season.
Newcastle interested in talented young centre-back
According to The Mirror, Howe’s side are lining up a move for 19-year-old Juventus centre-back Dean Huijsen, who is currently spending the current campaign on loan at fellow Serie A side Roma.
The Spanish youngster has featured 13 times for the Italian giants, scoring on two occasions, including a superb solo effort against Frosinone back in February.
Ryan Wilson, a journalist for The Mirror, claims that Juventus could be tempted into selling the youngster should they receive a bid in the region of £25m this summer.
Despite the interest, the Magpies will also face competition from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund for his signature, with the club potentially set to lock horns in a transfer battle for the Spaniard’s signature.
Why Huijsen could be the perfect Botman partner
Former Roma boss José Mourinho was full of praise for the defender during his time in charge of the Italian side, claiming Huijsen is one of the “highest quality prospects in European football“.
Huijsen, who’s further been described as the next Laurent Blanc by football scout Jacek Kulig, has evidently excelled for Roma, with his stats backing up his talent this campaign.
The Spaniard has averaged 69 passes per game this season – a stat that sees him rank within the top 12% of all centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues. That would certainly suit a fellow ball-playing central defender in Botman who ranks among the best 16% of central defenders for pass completion.
The 19-year-old has also averaged 4.3 clearances per 90, with his tally ahead of that of current Magpies defender Fabian Schar who’s managed four clearances per game this season.
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Huijsen v Schar in 23/24 |
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|---|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Huijsen |
Schar |
|
Passes attempted |
69 |
63 |
|
Clearances |
4.3 |
4 |
|
Tackles |
1.4 |
1.2 |
|
Blocks |
1.2 |
1.3 |
|
Progressive carries |
0.7 |
0.8 |
|
Stats via FBref |
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Over the last couple of years, Schar has been consistently solid at the back for Howe, especially given all the injury troubles within the club in recent months.
However, if the club are to progress further next season, Howe must target the up-and-coming Huijsen in the summer.
Indeed, the youthful talent looks like the perfect man to form a standout long-term partnership with Botman and appear at the heart of Newcastle’s defence for many years given his tender age.