Newcastle United

Newcastle United

Premier League • England

Newcastle to rival Liverpool, Man Utd for sublime midfielder as double signing takes shape

Newcastle are keen on Schalke star Assan Ouedraogo

Newcastle are keen on Schalke star Assan Ouedraogo

Newcastle have made bolstering their defence a top priority for the summer transfer window and have already all but confirmed one new signing.

As reported by TEAMtalk, the Magpies are set to sign Bournemouth star Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer after beating Liverpool and Tottenham to his signature.

Eddie Howe was also keen to sign Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham, but Chelsea are set to beat Newcastle to the centre-back.

The manager still wants to sign another defender but is also keen to bring in youngsters who he believes will become top players in the future.

Schalke midfielder Assan Ouedraogo has reportedly emerged as an option for Newcastle after he has impressed in Germany this season.

The 18-year-old is considered to be one of the most promising players in Bundesliga. 2 (Germany’s second tier) and several top clubs are considering a summer move for him.

As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have all registered an interest in the Schalke teenager.

Ouedraogo made 17 appearances in Bundesliga 2. this season (Germany’s second tier) and scored three goals and made two assists in the process.

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According to reports from Germany, Newcastle have sent scouts to watch Ouedraogo on multiple occassions this term and they’ve been impressed by his performances.

They are said to be ‘hot’ on the Schalke star and they are among clubs from the Premier League who have already ‘submitted contract offers’ for him.

Bayern Munich have also shown a ‘keen’ interest in Ouedraogo, but they have now decided against the transfer. This was revealed by his father, Alassane, in a recent interview.

“We have a valid contract with Schalke and won’t make any hasty decisions. The next step is incredibly important for his personal and footballing development,” he told Sky Germany.

“The financial aspect isn’t crucial, but primarily the idea and trust of the future coach and those responsible. We continue to work together with Schalke to find a great solution for the club and for Assan. I can assure you of that.

“We haven’t yet made a commitment to any club. What we can confirm is that we have received a number of written offers. Not just from Bayern. Many clubs, especially from the Premier League, have dealt very intensively with Assan.

“There are teams from England who would like to sign Assan directly for their professional team in the summer. We will make the right decision soon.”

Reports suggest that Ouedraogo will be available for around £12m this summer, so it will be interesting to see if Newcastle make an offer in that region in the coming weeks.

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