Centre midfield is going to be key to Newcastle’s summer.
There could be three who leave St James’ Park, and they will need to be replaced.
Mo Diame’s contract is expiring, Isaac Hayden wants to leave, while West Ham are reportedly interested in Jonjo Shelvey.
With wholesale changes potentially on the horizon, the Northern Echo have named three centre midfielders who Newcastle are keeping an eye on.
The report says Newcastle are tracking Stefano Sensi, Aaron Mooy and Tom Cairney.
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Which centre midfielder is most likely to join?
The latter two could be Championship players next summer, but they certainly have the ability to play in the Premier League. With Huddersfield and Fulham heading towards the Championship, both Mooy and Cairney may be open to leaving.
Sensi looks a lot more unrealistic. According to the report, the likes of Inter Milan, AC Milan and Barcelona are interested in the Italian midfielder, and he won’t come cheap. His asking price initially stands at £21.4million.
However, Sensi would certainly fit the bill with his age. At 23-years-old, he would fit the profile of a player who has a high potential re-sale value.
Who we sign probably depends on who leaves.
If Shelvey goes, then we definitely need a centre midfielder who can unlock a defence. In contrast, departures for Diame or Hayden would leave us short of defensive-minded midfielders.
Are the three options touted better than what we already have?