Newcastle are set to try again with a bid for Amadou Haidara after being rejected last summer

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Amadou Haidara still remains a target for Newcastle United despite RB Leipzig’s refusal to sell in the summer.

Newcastle tried their luck to sign the Mali international in the summer but Leipzig stood firm and said they’d not be selling him. Haidara himself gave no indication that he wanted to move according to The Chronicle. Brighton chanced their arm in January but were met with a similar response.

Newcastle never managed to fill their defensive midfield position and as such will try once again to bring the 25-year-old to Tyneside.

Leipzig rejected Newcastle’s approach for Haidara last year

Despite Leipzig’s insistence that he stayed in the summer, Haidara has played less than half of the available game time for the German outfit, often being used as a substitute rather than in the starting XI. However, when he has played he has impressed and has even popped up with four goal contributions.

Manchester United, Liverpool and Brighton are all monitoring the situation too with Haidara having spoken of his affinity for the Red Devils previously. He’s also openly spoken about his admiration of the Premier League which could come into play when he decides his next move in the summer. Last year Haidara said: “The matches in the Premier League are very intense. It’s always a good game, no matter which club plays. We’ll see what happens”

While nothing happened last year, it could be the perfect opportunity this summer with several Premier League clubs scouting the defensive midfielder.

Newcastle need a defensive midfielder this summer

It’s definitely a position Newcastle need to fill before next season. Having lost Jonjo Shelvey in January, Newcastle’s options are limited for that role. Despite Bruno Guimaraes initially being signed for that position, it’s clear to fans and staff that he’s best off playing further forward, so there’s a need now to bring in someone to support him.

While WhoScored list tackling as a weakness for Haidara, which sets off alarm bells given his defensive position, his strengths list blocks, which suggests that he reads the game well enough that he can cut out the ball before having to make a tackle.

This is another one that comes down to price for me. If we can pick him up for a reasonable fee then he’s definitely an interesting option but the fact that RB Leipzig rarely use him a starter or for a full game is a worry.