The Daily Mail have reported that Newcastle are interested in Amadou Haidara from RB Leipzig. The 23-year-old midfielder has been linked with Manchester United in recent times by the Daily Mirror.
Haidara is currently away at the African Cup of Nations with Mali and it appears he would set the Magpies back £80million. However, the midfielder has a release clause that will become active this summer reports the the Daily Mail, dropping the price to £33million.
The Toon Army have been looking at players across the field this January. Kieran Trippier has already made his way to Tyneside from Atletico Madrid for £12million. The signing of Burnley’s Chris Wood looks to be the second completed deal of the January window.
Haidara seems like a versatile and excting prospect, but the fee is surely too much
Haidara moved to Leipzig in December 2018 from RB Salzburg and has been a key component ever since. He’s played a number of different central-midfield roles in Germany, operating offensively and defensively.
He’s been best described as a box-to-box midfielder, offering lots of energy and strong work off the ball. At a side like Newcastle, a versatile midfielder would be perfect.
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However, with the fee setting them back around £80million, this would mean that it would take a lot out of the Newcastle transfer kitty. In addition, landing Haidara would mean that the Magpies would have to pay him a handsome wage.
Manager Eddie Howe won’t want multiple players on extortionate wages compared to the rest of the squad, making this feel unlikely.
There is no doubt that Haidara would be an exciting signing, but at the moment the outcome doesn’t seem realistic. They’d have to pay a hefty price for him and the same goes for his wages. Additionally, he’s currently at the African Cup of Nations with Mali, meaning it could be some time before he’s back.
Perhaps the Toon Army should wait until the summer for Haidara. However, there may well be plenty of others after him with the release clause of £33million becoming active – around £50million less than his current value.