Newcastle’s squad, fronted by prolific striker Alexander Isak, could go from strength to strength if recent reports are on the money.
The Magpies are one of seven Premier League clubs reported by German outlet SportBild (details transcribed in English by Sport Witness) to be tracking Hertha Berlin’s Ibrahim Maza, a 19-year-old Algerian international attacking midfielder who has been hyped by some who’ve seen him play as a future world-class star of the game.
The report indicates that a deal can be done on the cheap in the summer, via an exit clause that could see his previously-reported transfer fee of £17 million go as low as £8 million.
However, it’s fair to say that this will make the race for Maza’s signature even more frantic.
Which teams are linked to Ibrahim Maza? List of named suitors
So far, the clubs that have been named publicly by trusted outlets in addition to Newcastle are:
- Brentford
- Brighton
- Leicester
- Manchester City
- Southampton
- Wolves
- AC Milan
- Porto
- Atletico Madrid
With so much interest in the teenager, it will make for one of the summer’s most interesting transfer battles.
But there’s confidence among several reporters that Eddie Howe’s side are very well-placed to win the race, and it’s easy to see why.
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Why Newcastle could be favourites to sign Ibrahim Maza
Seeing clubs the stature of Man City, Atletico and Milan will be daunting for the likes of Newcastle, but on the flip side of things, game time will be important and clubs such as the Magpies will appeal in that regard.
At the same time, they’re flying high and on the rise with a Carabao Cup final and encouraging league progress. And the club’s current status means they’ll be very competitive in terms of salary — often where the battle for cut-price or free transfer players is fought.
And, with the Northeast club looking likely to keep Isak for at least a little while longer, the appeal of linking up with him in attack will be strong.
MORE: Jamie Carragher argues why Arsenal won’t land Alexander Isak
