Newcastle United need to address their centre-back issue in the summer.
For the past two transfer windows, Newcastle United have tried to sign Fabian Schar’s long-term replacement.
That has proven to be easier said than done, as Paul Mitchell missed out on deals for Marc Guehi followed by Abdukodir Khusanov.
They are the two players who Newcastle United have came closest to signing, and the latter is already highlighting why the Magpies were so eager to bring him to St James’ Park.
Pep Guardiola praises Abdukodir Khusanov’s start at Manchester City
Newcastle were close to signing Khusanov.
They did a lot of groundwork on the deal, only for Newcastle to pull out of signing Khusanov due to their PSR situation.
That allowed Manchester City to swoop in and sign the 20-year-old defender from RC Lens for £34million.
Khusanov has since played a lot of football for Manchester City, enduring a miserable debut against Chelsea.
But the Uzbekistan international has recovered from an embarrassing start, and Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the youngster after Man City’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.
“He’s a reliable player. So fast, so quick, quality with passes is extraordinary,” he said.
“He breaks the lines. He has the ability to do it. He has to improve but he’s 20. I’ve seen players with a lot of pace but he is one of them.
“People adore him. He is silent, no complaints and so humble and I’m sure our fans will love him.
“It’s not easy to overcome after what happened after five minutes against Chelsea but he was calm and he handled it.
“The games he’s played recently, he’s been really, really good.”
Newcastle United’s alternatives to Khusanov
Guardiola’s comments sum up exactly why Newcastle were trying to sign Khusanov.
He is a great passer of the ball, which is what the Magpies will need from whoever takes Schar’s place in the starting XI in the coming years. The 33-year-old has outstanding vision and range, and can be a real attacking weapon for Eddie Howe.
Newcastle also lack speed at centre-back with Schar and Dan Burn, which Khusanov has in abundance.
And, as Guardiola say, there is still so much room for improvement for the 20-year-old. He is a project player at the Etihad, as would have been the case at St James’ Park.
But Newcastle missed out and are now looking for alternatives.
Newcastle have spoken to Dean Huijsen’s representatives, as the 19-year-old eyes a summer move away from Bournemouth.
He would be an exciting signing, while Newcastle are also interested in Illia Zabaryni – Huijsen’s centre-back partner at the Vitality Stadium.
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