The transfer window for Newcastle United looks to ramp up in the coming weeks. We have already discussed the four key positions – goalkeeper, centre back, right winger and striker. They will be the positions that the club want to strengthen first and foremost.
However, if either Sean Longstaff or Joe Willock leave the club, there could be a deal done for a central midfielder. Eddie Howe will want to have six available to him ahead of a busy campaign.
Below, we discuss five possible options. The focus is on midfielders that perform well across all areas, as Howe likes his midfielders to be all-rounders with a preference for athletic players.
**Amir Richardson – Fiorentina**
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Amir Richardson looks to be tailormade for Premier League football. He is an imposing figure, standing at 6’5”, but he has an impressive athleticism that allows him to cover ground easily. He is very much a modern box-to-box midfielder, who is comfortable with and without the ball. The Fiorentina man has experience in Ligue 1 and Serie A, showing the adaptability that he possesses.
The 23-year-old is adept at taking the ball under pressure, before springing forward and creating space for himself by beating opposition players. Richardson averages 2.72 progressive passes received (72nd percentile) and 1.67 progressive carries (76th percentile). His physicality allows him to shrug off challenges and burst through the press of an opponent.
Richardson is great at linking the play, with sharp short passes. The midfielder has a pass accuracy of 87.6%, which is impressive considering the areas he is often in possession.
The former Reims player is aggressive out of possession. Richardson averages 2.64 tackles per ninety minutes, showing his ability without the ball. His physicality and size are an asset aerially in both boxes.
The one area that he could improve is his attacking threat, but he is still early in his career. Richardson would be the profile of midfielder that thrives in an Eddie Howe team.
**Yasin Ayari – Brighton**
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In fbref’s similar players section, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are both present. That is one indication that Yasin Ayari would be a good fit for Newcastle United. Brighton have an excellent scouting network and it isn’t a surprise that their players are often wanted by bigger clubs.
As a player, Ayari is versatile and capable of playing a number of midfield roles. At Brighton, he has been used as a number six and a number eight. With further development, he certainly has the attributes to play as a number ten. Like Richardson, he is an all-rounder, who is capable in all aspects of midfield play.
Ayari is dynamic, who likes to use his first touch to shift the ball into space. He is effective when pressed. Rather than playing lots of long progressive passes, Ayari’s strengths with the ball are his ability to pick short passes that penetrate the opposition defence. Last season, he averaged 2.79 shot creating actions, ranking in the 71st percentile among midfielders.
The Swede likes to drive forward with the ball, rather than look for an easy pass. This helps him create space in congested central areas.
Without the ball, he is excellent at reading the game and recovering the ball. Further to this, he is strong in the tackle, averaging 2.7 (80th percentile) per ninety minutes.
Unsurprisingly, he is still developing. At times, he can make positional errors that leave his team in vulnerable situations. Although he is a strong tackler, he can make the wrong decision and be too rash. These are areas to work on.
However, there is no doubt that Ayari is going to be a very good midfielder and the profile that Howe looks to sign.
**Mateus Fernandes – Southampton**
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One of the best market opportunities this summer could be Mateus Fernandes. Despite Southampton’s wretched season, he stood out as a player with a future at the top level. Developed by Sporting, Fernandes is an all action midfielder. Although raw, he has the technical and physical attributes that would suit our team.
Southampton fans praised his relentless work rate and stamina. That was evidenced in our win at St Mary’s Stadium when he exploded past our defence to score. Although it was later ruled out for offside, it showed how he maintained his energy late into the game.
Fernandes’ ball carrying is one of his best skills. He averaged 2.35 progressive carries (90th percentile) and 1.52 successful take ons (97th percentile) per ninety minutes. The Portuguese midfielder’s burst of acceleration and close ball control allows him to quickly move up the pitch into threatening positions.
Unlike the previous two on the list, there is genuine reason to believe he could develop into a player who contributes a lot in the final third. Fernandes averaged 1.3 shots and 2.41 shot creating actions per ninety minutes in an awful Southampton team. With some coaching and more experience, he could start to contribute goals and assists regularly. His return of two goals and four assists in a bad team certainly sparks reason for promise.
At the age of 20, Fernandes could become an excellent midfielder at the highest level. We like to target players at relegated clubs. There are few better this season than Fernandes.
**Maxence Caqueret – Como**
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The ship may have sailed on Maxence Caqueret, as he moved to join the ambitious Como in January. The Italian clubs have a bright future with Cesc Fabregas at the helm and it would be difficult to prise their French midfielder away. However, like the others discussed in this list, Caqueret has a playing style that will appeal to Howe.
Caqueret has always been a midfielder that I have thought would suit our team. Although he has a slight frame, he possesses good core strength and is able to shrug off opposition players. Like the other players discussed, he is good on the half turn, but his greater strengths lie in his playmaking.
The Frenchman averages 6.88 progressive passes (87th percentile) per ninety minutes. He is excellent at cutting through opposition defences with his vision and accuracy of pass.
Without the ball, he reads the game exceptionally well and he is constantly active, trying to win back possession for his team. Caqueret would thrive in a pressing system, as shown by his off the ball running and tackling quality. He averages 3.22 tackles per ninety minutes, placing him in the 94th percentile.
As he has only recently signed for Como, it feels unlikely Caqueret will be a player on the market this summer. However, if there was an opportunity to sign him, he could be an exciting player to add to the squad. His playmaking abilities would offer a slightly different tactical option for Howe. That being said, there would be some concerns about his physicality in England.
**Corentin Tolisso – Lyon**
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At 30, Tolisso is slightly older than the type of player we would typically target. However, there are two reasons why he should be on the shortlist if we opt to buy a midfielder. Firstly, he is experienced at the highest level and that is something we lacked in our previous Champions League campaign. Secondly, Lyon have been relegated from Ligue 1 for financial reasons. That could be reversed on appeal, but if it isn’t, their players will be available for cheap prices.
During his last 12 months at Lyon, Tolisso has thrived in all aspects of his game. He offers attacking threat in the final third, playmaking quality in the middle third and contributions out of possession.
Last season, the French midfielder contributed ten goals and six assists across Ligue 1 and the Europa League. These are excellent numbers and underline what Tolisso can offer in the final third. He is adept at making late runs into the box to get on the end of cut backs. His average of 3.02 shot creating actions (75th percentile) show the creative ability he possesses too.
Tolisso has an impressive range of passing, capable of long diagonal passes and line-breaking through balls. He averaged 6.54 progressive passes (84th percentile) per ninety minutes.
Physically, he is far more suited to Premier League football. His time with Bayern Munich was testament to that. Tolisso averaged 2.1 aerial duels won per ninety minutes. Among central midfielder, this places him in the 93rd percentile.
As mentioned earlier, this is unlikely due to his age profile. However, if we are in the market for Champions League quality and experience, Tolisso could be a low risk market opportunity.
_Stats taken from [fbref](fbref.com) (powered by [Opta](statsperform.com/opta))_