Newcastle United are reportedly interested in a move for Marseille and Argentina defender Leonardo Balerdi.
Newcastle United have reportedly been told the asking price for one of their summer defensive transfer targets.
The Daily Mail last week suggested the Magpies were eyeing an opportunist bid for Marseille’s eight-capped Argentina international centre-half Leonardo Balerdi.
Eddie Howe is determined to add a central defender to his ranks this summer, with the average age in that department creeping ever higher. First choice defenders Dan Burn and Fabian Schar are both well into their 30s, with Jamaal Lascelles also in that category.
So the hope is to sign a younger, quicker, more mobile defender to ideally complement Sven Botman, who has suffered a host of knee issues across the last two seasons. And it seems, although not young, Balerdi, at 26, is a player they’re taking a look at.
And, according to Football Insider, the Magpies will have to pay around £30million to sign the player, who will play Champions League football this season if he stays put in the south of France. Considering how much they were looking to spend on Marc Guehi last summer - in a deal that would have totalled around £60m - it would represent a bargain fee for a department in need of freshening up this summer.
Juventus are said to be interested in Balerdi, too, despite just taking Lloyd Kelly from Newcastle United in a £20m permanent deal.
Marseille launches bizarre protest against Leonardo Balerdi
A catalogue of errors at the beginning of 2023 was too much for one Marseille fan in particular, who went to extreme lengths to display his disdain.
The supporter in question turned up outside Marseille’s training ground with a cardboard sign, which featured the word "dehors" - which translates as “ out”, while it also said he would starting a hunger strike to get his way.
It continued: "Le peuple Marseilles ne veut plus de toi, respect nous merci." That translates to "the people of Marseille don't want you anymore, respect us, thank you".
The fan even managed to get Nuno Tavares, who was on loan at Arsenal at the time, to sign a petition to ban Balerdi from, though it was an honest mistake from the left-back as he signed autographs.
Matteo Guendouzi, now of Lazio, confronted the protester and said: “Everybody makes mistakes.” Fortunately, speaking one year on, Balerdi saw the funny side.
“Folklore!” Balerdi told L’Equipe, “Now I see a lot of Balerdi fans, but I like it when people criticise me, it motivates me too. I need people to focus on my mistakes, I need to keep improving.”
Newcastle United cool interest in Marc Guehi
As reported by NewcastleWorld earlier this week, Eddie Howe’s Magpies have cooled their interest in Guehi and are now looking at options on the continent.
Newcastle have absolutely zero want to get involved in any protracted transfer sagas. That was exactly what played out last summer with Guehi, as Crystal Palace chief Steve Parish held firm in the face of Newcastle advances.
Bids north of £50m, in total, but never close to the £60m reported, are understood to have been discussed last summer, but all of that effort, driven mainly by now ex-sporting director Paul Mitchell, came in vain.
While Guehi is admired by United still, we have learned the Magpies have already turned their attentions elsewhere. And unless situations change significantly, it's unlikely the club will make any further moves for the player, despite his decreased market valuation. Guehi has just one year left on his current deal at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool are said to be monitoring the England international, admired by Howe for his speed and quality with the ball, but are also being hit by an inflated Palace valuation of the player this summer.
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