Newcastle United are reportedly set to make an enquiry into a potential deal for Maya Yoshida.
Tuttomercatoweb have claimed the Magpies are set to ‘record a poll’ for the central defender, who plays his football with Sampdoria.
Yoshida has been with the Serie A outfit since January 2020, joining the club on an initial loan from Southampton.
He quickly became a fans’ favourite, and the club turned the move permanent that summer.
The deal was only for one year, but Yoshida then signed a two-year extension in January 2021.
So far in 2021/22, Yoshida has made 16 appearances, chipping in with a couple of goals and one assist.
TMW’s report claims Sampdoria want to make some money in the next transfer window.
Omar Colley and Morten Thorsby would generate the most cash. Selling Yoshida likely wouldn’t land them a huge amount given he is now 33 years of age.
Yoshida is probably not a name that will particularly excite Newcastle fans.
But the player obviously has a wealth of Premier League experience, appearing 154 times in the competition for Southampton.
Right now, defenders that have experience of playing in the Premier League are probably the best bets for Newcastle.
Maya Yoshida could be a decent squad addition for Newcastle
Yoshida alone would not cut it for Newcastle, but him coming in could be a positive move.
WhoScored have him rated as Sampdoria’s second-best defender so far this season behind Colley.
He seemingly isn’t declining despite his advancing years.
Newcastle need to add quality to their backline, but also to their dressing room.
A feature from The Athletic when he left Southampton makes for encouraging reading.
It suggests Yoshida as a reliable and dependable individual. And it describes him as ‘a model professional’.
Signing Yoshida, who has experience of battling relegation with Southampton, could be a sensible move.
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