Looking to get one over on Manchester United and Dan Ashworth this summer, Newcastle United have reportedly made contact with an in-demand midfield reinforcement.
Newcastle transfer news
Just 10 days until the new Premier League campaign gets underway, Newcastle's list of arrivals is still fairly underwhelming. John Ruddy, Lloyd Kelly, Lewis Hall and Odysseas Vlachodimos hardly suggest that a return to the Champions League football is on the cards, but there's still time for that to change through the arrival of Marc Guehi.
Imagine him & Isak: Newcastle hold talks over "world class" £51m sensation
He is available for transfer this summer
ByJoe NuttallAug 6, 2024
Those at St James' Park are now reportedly in talks to sign the Crystal Palace defender, even supposedly agreeing personal terms with the centre-back. His arrival would add some star power to their summer whilst handing Eddie Howe quite the defensive boost. And he might not be the only name through the door before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
Sheffield United youngster William Osula is reportedly on the verge of completing a move worth £15m with add-ons. It is, however, a midfielder who could steal the headlines.
According to CalcioMercato, Newcastle have held talks to sign Adrien Rabiot, who has been a free agent since leaving Juventus at the end of last season. The Frenchman, who has a league title to his name in Italy to go with the six he won at PSG, has also attracted interest from both Liverpool and Manchester United.
Earning a reported £145,000-a-week before he left Turin, even without a transfer fee Rabiot would not come cheap. That said, given Sandro Tonali's likely rustiness after his ban as well as ongoing doubts over Bruno Guimareaes' long-term future, Rabiot could prove to be worth every penny at St James' Park.
The former Juventus man is a serial winner who has won countless honours at both the Serie A giants and Paris Saint-Germain. Now 29 years old, he may yet get the chance to step into the Premier League.
"World-class" Rabiot would be an upgrade on Longstaff
If Newcastle want to make their return to the Champions League following last season's failure, then signing players of Rabiot's calibre is the way forward. The Frenchman, in a bargain deal, would be an instant upgrade on Longstaff. Meanwhile, when Tonali returns, and if he hits the ground running, Howe could suddenly have quite the trio in Rabiot, Guimaraes and the Italian.
Progressive Carries
72
24
Progressive Passes
120
145
Tackles Won
39
30
Ball Recoveries
150
120
A player who's defensively better than Longstaff whilst outperforming the Newcastle man in some areas on the ball on top of bringing a wealth of experience to the table, Rabiot is one that should make sense for the Magpies this summer.
Whilst deciding his future at Juventus, the 29-year-old earned plenty of praise from the legendary David Trezeguet, who said via JuveFC: "We are talking about a problem for Juventus because in Italy he may have been targeted for criticism, but in France it’s completely different. He is world class, an extraordinary player. Now he will evaluate his options and will go back to being the important player he always was.”