Newcastle United has engaged in discussions with a defender who has drawn comparisons to Virgil Van Dijk.
As they continue their remarkable start in the Champions League, Newcastle United is set to host Borussia Dortmund, the eight-time German champions.
Eddie Howe is eager to advance as far as possible in the competition, but concerns loom over squad depth, especially with the ongoing investigation involving summer signing Sandro Tonali. The Italian midfielder is awaiting updates on investigations into alleged betting offenses, which could result in a lengthy ban.
If Tonali faces a ban, Newcastle might consider pursuing a highly-rated Premier League midfielder. Additionally, reports from a Serie A defender’s agent have emerged.
Newcastle United is facing a shortage of options in central defense, with club captain Jamaal Lascelles recently partnering Fabian Schar in the absence of Sven Botman.
Many club-associated individuals, including former goalkeeper Shay Given, have emphasized the need to prioritize the center-back position in January.
One player who was previously of interest to Newcastle during the recent transfer window is Romanian defender Radu Dragusin, as confirmed by his agent Florin Manea.
Dragusin left Juventus in the summer transfer window to secure a permanent move to Genoa after a successful loan spell. However, he has also held discussions with representatives from Newcastle.
Manea stated, “It’s not an offer from Newcastle; I’ve had meetings with both Newcastle and other teams. Genoa would only sell him for an offer higher than €30 million.”
He added, “I wouldn’t like it [a return to Juventus], but he doesn’t know. In life, you never know, even if Genoa will certainly ask for a lot of money for him. He still has a lot of room for improvement. He is aware that he’s now at 85% of his potential.”
The 21-year-old Dragusin is highly regarded in Italy and has been compared to Virgil Van Dijk. He is known for his composure on the ball, excellent positional awareness, and is a significant threat from set pieces, standing at 6ft3 in height.
Newcastle is also reportedly linked to Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who had been heavily linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge during the summer. Despite previous hesitations due to the player’s asking price, Newcastle and Tottenham are reportedly revisiting their interest in the 23-year-old, with Chelsea planning contract talks with Gallagher, who is reportedly open to the prospect of a new deal at Stamford Bridge.
Leave a Reply