‘Clubs are lining up’… Director says ‘exciting’ 18-year-old Newcastle target will leave in the summer

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Newcastle United’s summer transfer hope have been given a boost after one of their targets was effectively deemed up for sale by the club’s director.

It was discovered that Newcastle had been scouting Nurnberg striker Can Uzun last month, though a deal was never going to be agreed with the Magpies low budget.

Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, Nurnberg director Dieter Hecking has now claimed that it’s very likely that Uzun will leave in the summer as a number of clubs line up for his signature.

‘Exciting’ Newcastle target now prepares for summer move

Uzun has been heavily impressing in a breakout season for Nurnberg in the German second division and DFB-Pokal where he has scored 13 goals and assisted a further three in 20 appearances.

The Turkish star has been playing both as an attacking midfielder and as a striker during that time, showing his versatility as a player and willingness to adapt to whatever the team needs at the time.

Typically playing behind a main striker, Uzun has been a very ‘exciting‘ talent this season thanks to his ability to drop deeper and find the open spaces between the lines of the midfield and the defence.

There’s lots of noise surrounding his future and it looks like even Nurnberg have admitted defeat ahead of the summer amid so many clubs, including Newcastle, showing interest in the teenager.

On Uzun, Hecking said: “The probability that he’ll stay over the summer is relatively low. Clubs are lining up.”

Uzun’s position poses a question for Newcastle

Uzun is obviously a very talented player and has been tipped to have a bright future in football, hence why so many big clubs are showing interest in him, but it’s not so black and white for Newcastle.

Eddie Howe’s typical system does not really allow for an attacking midfield position in the team with midfielders sometimes taking it in turns to advance further up the pitch.

In the most recent game against Nottingham Forest, Bruno Guimaraes was played in a more advanced role as he grabbed two goals, but even then he was often deployed as more of an eight and then sometimes taken back to a six.

Uzun’s quality is obvious, but it may be a challenge for Howe to find a place for him in the team unless the Turkish youth international would again be willing to adapt to whatever the team needs.