Newcastle United have been linked with a midfield wonderkid who has been compared to some footballing greats.
There has been a noticeable shift in Newcastle United’s transfer strategy since the PIF takeover, with the Magpies eager to sign young, exciting talents rather than ready-made superstars.
Sadly, Eddie Howe was forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh – two of the club’s most promising youngsters – for PSR purposes. In an attempt to avoid a repeat of that situation, Newcastle have been on the lookout for bargain deals.
Newcastle wanted Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis this month having been impressed by the young defensive duo, but they have both since moved to Manchester City.
One target the Magpies were able to secure was Vakhtang Salia, who is set for a loan move when he joins in August. Newcastle’s latest target is a Scandinavian wonderkid, and reports suggest the club have been watching him closely.
Newcastle United target Hakon Arnar Haraldsson
Just last week, Newcastle sent scouts to watch Hakon Arnar Haraldsson in action. Newcastle’s chief scout Steve Nickson watched Haraldsson star for Lille against Nice, where he scored in a 2-1 win.
Fans may also remember Haraldsson from his Man of the Match performance against England when Iceland won 1-0 at Wembley back in June.
The 21-year-old is a versatile midfielder who usually plays in a No.10 position. However, he has also played on both wings for Lille this season which could make him more attractive to Newcastle given their lack of depth out wide.
Haraldsson featured in the Daily Mail’s list of top Scandinavian wonderkids, where it was mentioned that Newcastle have been tracking him closely.
He has scored four goals and made two assists for Lille this season, but has missed a large part of the campaign with a broken foot.
Hakon Arnar Haraldsson compared to Luka Modric and Andrea Pirlo
While Haraldsson has been starring as an attacking midfielder for Lille, the Daily Mail report from above suggests he “may eventually operate as a more deep-lying midfielder, just as Andrea Pirlo and Luka Modric did”.
That is not where the comparisons to footballing greats end either. Haraldsson’s “slight build” is also compared to Ballon d’Or winner Modric and Manchester United’s Christian Eriksen.
While he is not the most physical midfielder, it is suggested that Haraldsson would have no problems adapting to the Premier League if he did complete a move to Tyneside.
Newcastle have the strongest links to Haraldsson, but the report also adds that Premier League rivals Brentford and Brighton are possible landing spots for the Icelandic midfielder.
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