n8rngtd.topNewcastle United scouts have now been spotted keeping close tabs on an impressive young defender, who’s also reportedly attracted the interest of Bayern Munich.
Newcastle sends scouts to watch teenage star
It’s been a frustrating campaign for the Magpies and defeat in the Tyne-Wear derby courtesy of an own goal from record signing Nick Woltemade just about summed things up on Sunday afternoon.
The Magpies’ struggles follow another tough summer transfer window, in which they were handed rejection after rejection before welcoming Yoane Wissa, Jacob Ramsey, Anthony Elanga and Woltemade.
He'd revive Gordon: Newcastle could replace Howe with "world-class" coach
Newcastle chiefs PIF will expect to see an upswing of results before long.
2
By
Angus Sinclair
As things stand, only Woltemade has truly made his mark out of those arrivals, however, and it’s no major shock that those at St James’ Park welcomed a new sporting director in the form of Ross Wilson earlier this season. They simply must do better on the recruitment front when January arrives.
If the new transfer chief is to make his mark next month, then PIF should hand him the funds to improve Newcastle’s defensive and midfield depth.
The likes of Giovani Lo Celso and Kees Smit have already emerged as potential January targets, but it remains to be seen whether Newcastle are in a strong enough position to welcome their targets, particularly the latter.
It looks as though Wilson’s focus will be on adding youthful exuberance to Eddie Howe’s side, be it through Smit or by signing Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor.
According to TeamTalk, Newcastle scouts have been spotted watching Ahanor and could race to secure the 17-year-old’s signature alongside Premier League rivals as well as Bayern Munich.
"Strong" Ahanor could become Botman successor
Having already signed Malick Thiaw in the summer, Newcastle now need to find a long-term partner for their impressive defender. And that’s unlikely to be Dan Burn or Fabian Schar, who are both 33 years old, or the injury-prone Sven Botman, who has once again struggled to remain fit this season.
Instead, the Magpies should turn towards Ahanor, who is represented by the same agency as Sandro Tonali. The teenage star can play centre-back, left-back and left-midfield and is quickly becoming one of the most impressive young defenders in European football.
|
League stats 25/26 P90 |
Thiaw |
Ahanor |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
1,083 |
552 |
|
Progressive Passes |
4.83 |
2.46 |
|
Tackles Won |
0.83 |
1.15 |
|
Ball Recoveries |
3.92 |
2.79 |
Dubbed “strong” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, Ahanor is reportedly happy at Atalanta but an offer in the region of €60m (£53m) is likely to force their hand next year.
Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer scouting insight
Gain expert context by subscribing to our newsletter for focused transfer-market and scouting coverage. Follow emerging youth prospects, club transfer strategy and scouting reports to better understand squad-building moves.
Subscribe to the newsletter for transfer scouting insight
Gain expert context by subscribing to our newsletter for focused transfer-market and scouting coverage. Follow emerging youth prospects, club transfer strategy and scouting reports to better understand squad-building moves.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The 17-year-old wouldn’t make an instant impact in Tyneside – he’s very much one for the future – but he could become one of Newcastle’s most important signings if he arrives and reaches his impressive potential.