With Lloyd Kelly signed and sealed, Newcastle United are in the market for one more centre-back.
Lloyd Kelly will provide cover on the left, but it is the right where Newcastle United really need to invest.
The Magpies are hoping to sign a right-sided centre-back this summer, and you have to imagine that whoever arrives will be brought in to be Fabian Schar‘s long-term replacement. While Schar is going nowhere, it makes sense to look towards the future and identify who will be Sven Botman’s partner in the coming years.
Schar may believe it can be him, but he is 32-years-old. He is going to be replaced in the next year or so, but by whom remains to be seen.
It will not be Tosin Adarabioyo, who opted to sign for Chelsea instead of Newcastle, despite the Magpies being confident that he was going to sign for them.
It will probably not be Jarrad Branthwaite either, who Toon officials distanced themselves from last month. And that appears to have been the right decision given what is going on at Manchester United right now.
Newcastle United watch on as Manchester United struggle to sign Jarrad Branthwaite
Newcastle were interested in Branthwaite, but took a step back when talks with Kelly and Tosin were going well. Of course, Tosin is not coming to Newcastle now, but there have been no rumours about the Magpies reigniting their pursuit of the Everton defender.
And that is sensible, given how his proposed move to Manchester United is working out.
They are trying to bring Branthwaite to Old Trafford, but are seriously struggling to meet Everton’s financial demands.
According to Sky Sports, the Toffees want more than £70million for Branthwaite. In contrast, Man United’s opening bid was £35million plus add-ons.
Just like their pursuit of Dan Ashworth, the Red Devils’ offer is well below the asking price.
Newcastle right to take their centre-back business elsewhere
And at £70million, Newcastle are right to take their business elsewhere. While the 21-year-old is extremely talented, there is no way he is worth that much. For reference, that would have made him the Magpies’ most expensive signing ever.
Instead, Eddie Howe will look elsewhere for a centre-back. We have seen Marc Guehi linked with a move, and he would be a much more exciting addition. However, he also feels unlikely to arrive, with Crystal Palace likely to demand a huge fee themselves for a player who impressed for England against Serbia on Sunday.
The ‘English tax’ is very real, and should force Newcastle to look further afield. There is better value overseas, and that is where the club should eventually look when they decide to prioritise a new centre-back.
That will likely happen later in the window, with a new right winger seemingly taking centre stage once the James Trafford deal gets over the line.
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