Newcastle United’s summer plans have been dealt another blow as one of their big targets could be set for a move elsewhere.
Newcastle really need to be bringing in some big names this summer if they are to have any hope of returning to last year’s form which saw them qualify for the Champions League.
However, journalist Dean Jones has been speaking to GiveMeSport where he discussed that Newcastle could be losing out on one of their targets to a direct Premier League rival.
Newcastle to miss out on £51m midfielder
The Magpies have been scouting Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners for a number of months now with the attacking midfielder having really impressed over in Italy this season.
Koopmeiners has hit double figures for the season with 10 goals and three assists in his 26 league appearances, impressing a number of European clubs who are keeping an eye on him.
Newcastle were hoping to bring the Dutch international to Tyneside where he could really excel in the Premier League, but now it looks like Liverpool are the most likely club to land him in the summer.
Not only would Newcastle struggle to compete with Liverpool financially, they also currently look like they will have no European football to offer the ‘extraordinary‘ £51m player next season.
On Koopmeiners, Jones said: “Teun Koopmeiners would be an unbelievable addition to the Premier League. There is long-standing interest in him from Newcastle. While that evaporated, the club now really gaining traction with a move for him are Liverpool.
“I do think there is a slot there at Liverpool that they might look towards filling and if they got Koopmeiners, their potential would be pretty devastating.
“The fact he is adding fuel to the fire now by talking about life in England definitely suggests he is becoming open to the move, and that might be in mind with the fact Atalanta have not quite kicked on at the top end of the table this season.”
Koopmeiners could have solved a lot of issues for the Magpies
Newcastle currently have a serious lack of a goal threat coming from their midfield which is very important for the way that Eddie Howe has set them up to play.
Newcastle are at their best when they are hitting teams on the break with the pace of Anthony Gordon and Miguel Almiron down the wings before pulling the ball back into the middle of the box.
That would ideally be where Sean Longstaff or Joe Willock would find themselves, though neither of them have bene prolific goalscorers, and Koopmeiners could be the answer for that.
Whether it’s Koopmeiners or not Newcastle need to find a way of getting their midfielder more involved in the final third to really maximise how efficient they can be as a counter attacking team.
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