Newcastle United transfer news as club aims to make early inroads into window
Karim Coulibaly of Werder Bremen
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Newcastle United have stepped up their transfer work in the last couple of weeks as they look to make early inroads into the end of season market after a difficult last summer.
The Magpies' recruitment issues ahead of this campaign have been well documented. There was a £250million spend but Newcastle missed out on a number of first-choice targets including James Trafford, Dean Huijsen, Joao Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko as they were often forced to look further down their wishlist.
The situation was compounded by the Alexander Isak bombshell which disrupted the summer and left the Magpies on the back foot. They were also without a sporting director, following Paul Mitchell's sudden exit, and no CEO as Darren Eales departed due to health issues.
The structure heading into the new transfer window is more settled, with David Hopkinson and Ross Wilson in place. And while there still remains some doubt over whether United will be in Europe or not next season, and speculation surrounds a number of their big-name players such as Tino Livramento, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali, the club are pushing on with their recruitment plans.
Wilson is leading the recruitment alongside Steve Nickson and Andy Howe. The sporting director has already stated his aim is to look for value abroad as the Magpies look to make their money stretch as far as possible with ongoing PSR challenges.
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Karim Couilbaly talks
Newcastle have 'concrete interest' in Werder Bremen centre-back Karim Coulibaly, according to German media outlet Bild. The 18-year-old has enjoyed a breakout season with the Bundesliga side and has been attracting a lot of interest.
As well as the Magpies, Chelsea, Napoli and Marseille are believed to be keeping tabs on him while Paris Saint-Germain are also interested, although their pursuit is said to be less firm.
German media reports claim talks are already taking place with representatives of Coulibaly, but no offers have yet been submitted for the 18-year-old, who is understood to be valued at around €45m (£39m) by Werder.
Coulibaly has made 22 appearances for the Green and Whites this season and has a contract which runs until 2029.
Newcastle will be in the market for another centre-back this summer, with Fabian Schar out of contract amid doubts over his future. Newcastle let Jamaal Laseclles leave in January and utility defender Emil Krafth looks to have also kicked his last ball for the Magpies.
Bruno Guimaraes Man United latest
The speculation around Guimaraes and Manchester United just won't go away, as much as Eddie Howe would like it to. The Newcastle boss hit out at the 'disrespectful' reports but it hasn't stopped the likes of transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano continuing to weigh in on the situation.
“What I can confirm is that, yes, a meeting did take place in recent weeks," he told his YouTube channel. “It wasn’t held yesterday, today or tomorrow, but rather a few weeks ago between Guimaraes’ representatives and Manchester United.
“The information from Brazil is accurate: a meeting was held, and United maintain a good relationship with the agency."
Meanwhile, Guimaraes' agent sparked confusion and speculation among Newcastle fans with a cryptic social media message which was just a question mark. Some viewed it as him rubbishing the reports.
What is clear, however, is Newcastle's stance on their captain. As Chronicle Live reported last week, Bruno's representatives have already touched base over extending the midfielder's contract at St James' Park and the Magpies are calm over the situation.
Ligue 1 hunting ground
In line with Wilson's desire to look abroad for talent, Newcastle had scouting representation at Monaco's victory over Lyon on Sunday. Reports suggest that they were monitoring two of Monaco’s starlets – Maghnes Akliouche and Lamine Camara.
Interestingly, the duo have been on Newcastle's radar for more than a year. Paul Mitchell had extensive Ligue 1 contacts from his time at Monaco and the pair were added to United's scouting list during his short tenure.
Lamine Camara and Maghnes Akliouche
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Senegalese international Camara is regarded as one of the most exciting young midfielders in European football. The 22-year-old is expected to leave Monaco this summer and he fits the build for Howe with athleticism and tactical awareness two of his strongest characteristics.
Akliouche is another interesting prospect. The winger continues to impress in Ligue 1 and has been named in Didier Deschamps’ latest France squad. While a wide forward is not at the top of United's priority list, they continue to watch Akliouche who is in a rich vein of form.
The 24-year-old was superb in Monaco's Champions League last 16 double-header against PSG and has X goals this season. What also attracts him to Newcastle, however, is his defensive work with Akliouche one of the best in France for pressing and ball retrievals.