Newcastle desperately need reinforcements, with one of their problematic positions being left-back, and Stoke’s Erik Pieters could be a value for money option to bring in.
News emerged from Sky Sports that Stoke City have left eight players out of the pre-season squad, effectively letting them know they will be allowed to leave the club this summer.
Pieters is one of those players, and is a full-back that is still of Premier League quality, and would possibly available for a knock-down price, with the Potters wanting to move their high earners off their wage bill.
Pieters made 18 appearances for Holland between 2010 and 2015, and at only 30-years-old could still have a good two or three seasons ahead of him.
MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES
He is outside the preferred parameters of a Mike Ashley signing, but as has happened before, if the right player at a reasonable price becomes available, they could still be signed.
Newcastle have been linked with Erik Pieters before
Pieters has been linked with a move to Newcastle before, and the Stoke Sentinel reported a £2 million bid from the Magpies was turned down as recently as last summer.
With 169 Premier League appearances to his name, the player could provide much needed competition to Paul Dummett, who is the only senior left-back at the club.
We think a bid for the former Dutch international would be a logical move and could provide the depth we need, at a price that will not have much of an effect on the available budget for the new manager when he is appointed.