Newcastle United have their eye on a highly-rated Premier League defender in the summer.
Toon fans are gearing up for what could be the most ambitious transfer window since the takeover with Paul Mitchell set to be allowed off the leash to pursue his ideal targets.
The focus on Tyneside will be to sign young players, preferably from outside of England but that has not stopped Newcastle United from looking at options domestically.
Mitchell is tasked with improving multiple positions at Newcastle in the summer, mainly in defence and the right wing with the latter seriously lacking in depth following Miguel Almiron’s departure.
Former Toon star Hugo Viana is set to become sporting director at Manchester City in the summer and will already be working on targets to improve Pep Guardiola’s side. Bruno Guimaraes was linked to Man City in January and last summer when his £100m release clause was still active.
Viana spent four years at Newcastle after signing as a 19-year-old for £8.5m in 2002. Now, a new transfer report has claimed that he could upset his former club and Eddie Howe by signing a talented player on the Magpies’ radar.
Man City could sign Newcastle target Dean Huijsen
AFC Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen has made a name for himself in the Premier League since joining from Juventus last summer. The 19-year-old was coincidentally replaced with Lloyd Kelly who moved to the Old Lady from Newcastle in the January transfer window.
Newcastle are interested in Huijsen having missed out on him in the summer – he won’t be cheap. Huijsen will cost Newcastle £50m in the summer, a fee that they should be able to afford after selling several players in the last two windows.
Fans got their hopes up when Huijsen was pictured with a Newcastle shirt in a recent Instagram post which made them believe he was nailed on to join the club at the end of the season.
According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle could be rivalled by Man City for Huijsen’s signature. With Viana taking over at Man City in the summer, he will play a big role in persuading him to join the eight-time Premier League winners over a move to the North East.
The ‘special’ Huijsen is open to a move away from Bournemouth in the summer but will only join a club that elevates his career.
Recent reports suggest that Newcastle could sign Huijsen if they qualify for the Champions League. The Magpies are currently on course to do so, with fifth place looking like it will be enough for a return to Europe’s top competition next season.
- READ MORE – Bittersweet news as Paul Mitchell’s first major Newcastle United signing could come at a £37.2m cost
Paul Mitchell under pressure to make signings at Newcastle
Following two transfer windows which fans may deem a disappointment, Mitchell must now get fans back on his side by delivering the goods for Howe.
Mitchell has already begun working on arrivals ahead of next season – Antonio Cordero is close to joining Newcastle from Malaga on a free transfer after talks with the club. The 18-year-old will be rejecting Barcelona and Real Madrid for a move to Tyneside.
Cordero is part of Mitchell’s new strategy to sign younger players from abroad. While Huijsen plays in England, he still fits the bill regarding the age of the player the club wants to sign.
Signing Huijsen would not only be a statement of intent from Mitchell, but a handy one for Newcastle as the Spaniard can play all across the defence thanks to his handy two-footedness.
Huijsen played his part in humiliating Newcastle at St James’ Park in January, the defender starred in Bournemouth’s 4-1 win which snapped Howe’s nine-game winning streak.
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