Newcastle United have once again been linked with interest in young German defender Karim Coulibaly.
The Magpies are on the hunt for young, talented players who are either ready or close to being ready to play their part in the first team as they look to bolster their squad for next season.
Eddie Howe has once again struggled to field a strong starting XI in far too many games this season, as the lack of depth in the Newcastle squad has been exposed through playing in Europe for the second time during his tenure.
It’s thought Newcastle will be having a big squad shakeup in the summer, in which we expect to see a few exits and a raft of incomings, which will range from youngsters to established first-team-ready players.
Werder Bremen’s 18-year-old defender Karim Coulibaly has already been touted as a player on Newcastle’s radar by German outlet Bild, and now another source has corroborated their story.
Fabrizio Romano has taken to X to confirm that Newcastle are one of six clubs around Europe tracking the youngster.
🚨⭐️ Big race started to sign Werder Bremen 18 year old centre back Karim Coulibaly in the summer.
Newcastle are involved as BILD reported with 5 more clubs around Europe also very keen.
German youth international, prepared for a new chapter in the summer. 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/o8X7Iwccr1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 3, 2026
Despite being just 18, Coulibaly has made 22 appearances in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen this season and has even got his name on the scoresheet once, playing at centre back and even as a central defensive midfielder.
This rumour appears to be picking up pace now, so it’s definitely one to keep an eye on. Bild claimed that Newcastle had already opened talks with Werder Bremen over a move and were willing to meet their demands, so it could move quickly.
Again, the issue is going to be the competition from the other five clubs across Europe, as one is thought to be Chelsea, who have an exceptional record of beating Newcastle to signings.