What Edmond Tapsoba recently said about his future is very interesting amid Newcastle interest

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Newcastle United may turn to Edmond Tapsoba as an alternative to Marc Guehi.

The Crystal Palace player has been Newcastle United‘s top centre-back target for a while, but a deal is starting to look unlikely as we hurtle towards the transfer window closing on August 30th.

Newcastle want the Guehi situation concluded before this weekend, whether that means he signs for the Magpies or not. However, a deal is suddenly even more up in the air following news that Crystal Palace have agreed to sell Guehi‘s centre-back partner Joachim Andersen to Fulham.

It has been reported that the Andersen deal is unlikely to impact Newcastle’s Guehi pursuit, but it has resulted in Paul Mitchell identifying more alternatives.

Newcastle interested in Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba

According to the Athletic, Newcastle are stepping up their search for a Guehi alternative, in case the England international does not arrive at St James’ Park.

They report that Chelsea’s Axel Disasi is of interest, 12 months after being linked with a move to the North East. The door could be open for Newcastle to sign Disasi, who is willing to leave Chelsea amid concerns over how much he will play under Enzo Maresca.

However, Newcastle have an even more exciting alternative on their radar, with the Athletic adding that Toon officials have held talks with Bayer Leverkusen about a possible deal for Edmond Tapsoba.

The 25-year-old would be a better signing than Disasi, but it appears that a deal for the Burkina Faso international would be much more difficult.

What Edmond Tapsoba recently said about his future

That is because Tapsoba has a huge release clause at Bayer Leverkusen, after signing a contract extension with the Bundesliga champions last September. He is contracted at Bayer Leverkusen until 2028, and has a release clause worth £81million.

That would make him Newcastle’s most expensive signing ever, while recent comments from the defender suggest that he does not have an appetite to change clubs in the immediate future.

Tapsoba spoke to Kicker earlier this month about his release clause.

“It’s crazy and it gives me the feeling that they have a lot of trust in me in Leverkusen,” he said.

“I did not come here to move again after two years, but to develop myself here. I am convinced of the style of play here and it suits me perfectly. I was ready to sign a contract like this.

“The clause means nothing to me. It’s just a number.”

Newcastle could be making another transfer mistake if they target Tapsoba

As it stands, targeting Guehi has proven to be a mistake. Newcastle were worried their bid for Guehi would be hijacked, but their bigger concern should have been the price.

The Magpies have been unable to agree a fee for the defender, and it is now forcing them to scramble for an alternative with just over a week to go before the transfer window closes.

Tapsoba certainly is an exciting alternative, but it appears that a deal for him would be just as challenging as the Guehi pursuit. If anything, it could be harder. Guehi has been keen to join Newcastle, while it sounds like Tapsoba wants to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.

That is understandable, as they prepare to compete in this season’s Champions League after winning the Bundesliga last year.

Even if a deal was possible, it would be extremely expensive. There is no way that Newcastle could afford Tapsoba’s release clause in full, as PSR continues to cause problems.

While he is an exciting target, it is extremely difficult to envision how Newcastle United can bring Tapsoba to Tyneside.