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Newcastle United signed players in a lot of positions over the course of the summer transfer window. But somehow, one they seemed to miss is centre-back.

Perhaps the club were simply happy with the options that were available to them. But one could also argue that more could have been done in that area of the pitch.

Interestingly, the Magpies are now being linked with a Juventus defender. The issue is that several other top clubs also want to bring him from Turin.

Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and more in race to sign Pierre Kalulu

According to Tutto Juve, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Manchester City, Man Utd, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur are regularly linked with Pierre Kalulu and would even pay significant sums to sign the French defender. PSG had also expressed interest in him.

On the other hand, it is believed that Juventus are keen to keep him. And they might even be looking to hand him a contract extension.

Kalulu is someone who can play both at centre-back and right-back with equal ease. If Newcastle United do end up signing him, one would expect them to put him in at the heart of defence rather than at full-back.

That is because the Magpies already have a ton of quality in that right-back position. Tino Livramento is good enough to be in the England national team setup. And Amar Dedic has been an absolute standout since joining the club this summer.

So, it is hard to imagine that they would want to bring in another right-back anytime soon. But as far as the centre-back options go, they could do with a bit of refreshment.

Newcastle need more centre-backs with Dan Burn and Fabian Schar in the twilight of their careers

Dan Burn and Fabian Schar are both 34 years of age. Sven Botman has improved a lot since a nightmare pre-season campaign. And Malick Thiaw has been starting alongside him since the arrival of Jaissle as manager.

It would make sense though, to add another versatile option to the backline. And to be honest, it is rather surprising that it has not happened yet.

That being said, considering Juventus’ reluctance to part ways with Kalulu and some of the other clubs that are interested in him, it is hard to imagine that Newcastle United would be able to pull off a move anytime soon.

Never say never in football though. There is already a relationship between Juventus and Newcastle United, after they agreed a loan deal involving Nick Woltemade this summer.

Could Sandro Tonali be regretting his Newcastle United exit already? The Italian midfielder was part of a major rebuild at Tottenham Hotspur this summer. But so far, the results have not suggested that much has improved at the London club.

After losing their opening two Premier League games, including a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United, Spurs were able to get their first point of the campaign this weekend. They drew 0-0 against Nottingham Forest.

That means that after three games, Tottenham Hotspur are winless in the league. They have just one point. And they are in the relegation zone.

This is not what the club would have envisioned when signing like Tonali in £100 million transfer deals. And Roberto De Zerbi has now openly admitted that the Italian midfielder is not at his best right now.

De Zerbi makes blunt admission about Tonali

According to The Shields Gazette, De Zerbi said regarding Tonali’s situation:

“He is not in the right condition, in the best condition yet, maybe physically, even though he worked with us at the beginning of the pre-season.”

Some have pointed towards the fact that Tonali put in decent performances in pre-season but has struggled when competitive football began. De Zerbi said:

“Yes, and he started very well the game, for example, with Chelsea or Hoffenheim. I think it can happen also the time, maybe he needs more time to understand a new club.

“I remember in the first season in AC Milan, the second season they won the Scudetto, Serie A, but the first season he suffered.

“Then, in the second season, hopefully we want him to play at a good level, already in the first season, but maybe for a new player, it’s different now, the dressing room.”

Well, it is safe to say that these are things that you expect from youngsters, at the start of their senior career, coming into a different league. Players like Tonali are expected to make an immediate impact.

That is why Tottenham Hotspur paid a £100 million transfer fee to sign him. But so far, it has not paid off. Then again, it has only been three games so far. Way too early to make any judgments. That would be far too reactionary.

Have Newcastle United replaced Tonali?

It remains to be seen if Newcastle United have been able to. In the recently-concluded summer transfer window, the Magpies did sign three midfielders.

Sean Steur was signed from Ajax. Aladji Bamba was brought in from AS Monaco. And the headline addition was that of Nico Gonzalez from Manchester City.

Gonzalez is going to be a starter, there is little doubt about that. Steur has looked like an option off the bench. Bamba has not played much yet though and might need some more time to find his feet in English football.

Most fans would have preferred to have seen Newcastle United sign another ready-made midfielder this summer. But it is what it is. Let’s see what this set of players does.

It would be an understatement to say that things have not started out as Tottenham Hotspur would have hoped for this season. Despite signing some big-money players this summer, including Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United, their results have not improved much.

After three games, they are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season. In fact, it was today’s 0-0 draw that saw them earn their first point of the campaign.

On the other hand, Newcastle United have been much better than Tottenham Hotspur, despite seeing one of their best players join them. In return, they had tried to sign somebody from Spurs, but were turned down.

Newcastle United made failed bid for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder

According to The Athletic (via Transfer News Live), Tottenham Hotspur rejected bids from Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United for Lucas Bergvall this summer.

Newcastle United offered Tottenham Hotspur £46 million for the signature of Bergvall, while Spurs were prepared to let him go only for around £60 million plus a significant sell-on clause.

The 20-year-old midfielder had wanted to leave but later held positive talks with Roberto De Zerbi and will stay until at least January.

Of course, Newcastle United did go on to sign Nico Gonzalez from Manchester City. But one has to wonder if that was enough to satisfy what they wanted to do in midfield following the departures of Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, or if they had wanted to make further additions and bring in the Tottenham Hotspur youngster alongside the Spaniard.

Chelsea also wanted to sign Bergvall

Bergvall drew a ton of interest this summer. It is not just Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest who wanted to sign the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.

It is believed that Chelsea were interested in a late move for him as well after it became evident that Enzo Fernandez would end up at Manchester City.

Chelsea were not successful either. In fact, they did not end up signing a replacement for Fernandez at all. At least Newcastle United did add to the department, even if you feel that they lack a bit of quality in that area.

On top of Gonzalez, they signed Sean Steur from Ajax and Aladji Bamba from AS Monaco. The former has been involved a decent bit so far.

Interestingly, Bamba is the one who seems to be struggling for playing time right now, which not many would have predicted because he is senior to Steur and had already played in a top five European league before arriving at Newcastle United.

This is a big weekend for Newcastle United, as they are set to take on Tottenham Hotspur. The Magpies actually exceeded expectations in their opening game of the Premier League season against Liverpool, earning themselves a 2-2 draw.

That was followed by an underwhelming League Cup outing against West Bromwich Albion. So, it is hard to judge where this team stands at this moment in time.

The performance and result against Tottenham Hotspur should clear up the picture a lot more. An away trip to London awaits for Matthias Jaissle’s men.

With Tottenham Hotspur recently signing Sandro Tonali for a club-record £100 million, that adds a bit of extra spice to this game, there is no doubt about that. Unforutnately, the Magpies will be without quite a few of their key players on the night.

Four Newcastle United players who look set to miss Tottenham Hotspur game

Joelinton is one player expected to miss this game. According to football.London, Jaissle said about his status:

“He’s out for a couple of weeks.”

Another absentee is going to be Dan Burn. Jaissle said regarding the veteran centre-back:

“With Dan, it’s clear that he will be out for a couple of weeks.”

Tino Livramento has been out of action since picking up an injury on the eve of the World Cup and missing the tournament as a result of it. He has returned to training since, but even then, he is not expected to be fit to feature against Tottenham Hotspur.

And the final absentee looks set to be William Osula. With Nick Woltemade struggling and question marks around his future, the 23-year-old is expected to feature prominently this season. But he has picked up an untimely injury.

The good news is that it is not thought to be a serious one. Jaissle said regarding Osula’s status:

“We will need to see. Hopefully, it’s not that serious. He will be back as soon as possible as well. For now, it looks quite good.”

Who are the favourites for Tottenham vs Newcastle?

To be very honest, it is difficult to pick a favourite for this game. If this was matchday one, I would have picked Sputs without any doubt.

Newcastle United were coming off a terrible pre-season campaign and looked completely disjointed. On the other hand, Tottenham had splashed the cash all summer.

Yet, the opening matchday provided us with a very different picture of where we thought we stood in the Premier League. Newcastle United drew against Liverpool while Tottenham were handed a 3-0 defeat by Brentford.

Tottenham’s 5-1 win in midweek must have given them a much-needed confidence booster. But at the end of the day, the gap between these two teams might not be as wide as once thought.

Newcastle United do not have time on their side when it comes to strengthening their roster this summer. So many quality players have left and need to be replaced. At the same time, there are positions which were already in need of reinforcements.

Centre-back is one such position. Dan Burn and Fabian Schar are both 34 years of age. Sooner or later, and most likely the first, Newcastle United will need to think about their successors.

On paper, someone like Sven Botman would be that guy. But he has dealt with injury problems in recent times and has looked like a shadow of the player he used to be when first signed by the Magpies.

So, it is natural if Newcastle United are keeping their eyes out for potential centre-back options. And it looks like they are one of the frontrunners for one such player.

Newcastle United, Man Utd and Tottenham race to sign centre-back

According to Fussball Daten (via TEAMtalk), Manchester United are ‘maintaining close contact’ with Edmond Tapsoba’s agents as the Old Trafford outfit weigh up a possible move for the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back.

They are not the only ones though. Premier League clubs are said to be ‘leading the race’ to sign Tapsoba. Man Utd, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are believed to be his main suitors.

Tapsoba has been a standout for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. He is thought to be a ‘modern centre-back’, who can play in a system where you build out from the back.

He was actually linked with a move to Chelsea earlier in the summer due to the Xabi Alonso factor. But that noise has died down. The Blues have ended up signing Maxence Lacroix and it is unlikely that they will sign another centre-back this summer.

Would Edmond Tapsoba be a good signing?

Someone like Tapsoba might be exactly the signing that Newcastle need to make at this point in time. He has experience at a high level. But at the same time, he is someone who has his prime ahead of him.

That makes sense for a club in Newcastle United’s situation. Tapsoba is someone who will come straight into the starting XI and stay there. Not a youngster who will need two or three years to develop, and might or might not be good enough.

There are no such question marks around Tapsoba. That being said, it is very possible that Newcastle United lose out in this transfer race.

All summer, we have seen them fall short when having to compete with other clubs. But if the Magpies are able to pull it off, it would have to be considered a blockbuster addition towards the end of what has been a disappointing window so far.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have already been involved in some transfer business this summer. Spurs signed Sandro Tonali in a club-record £100 million deal earlier in the window.

Of course, ideally, one would have wanted Newcastle United to keep Tonali. But that has proven to be difficult, with no European football on offer.

Incidentally, the same thing can be said about Tottenham Hotspur as well. Yet, it did not stop Tonali from joining them by leaving Newcastle United.

Anyways, now is the time to look towards the future. Could that involve Newcastle United signing a midfielder from Tottenham Hotspur, who might be unsettled after the arrival of Tonali?

Tottenham Hotspur could see Lucas Bergvall leave

According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are resigned to losing Lucas Bergvall this summer if Newcastle United meet their transfer valuation of the midfielder. The player is seeking a move for a better guarantee of game time.

Newcastle United are planning to make a new bid. The Magpies will sign Bergvall if Tottenham Hotspur are content with the size of their second offer.

It is believed that Newcastle United have already seen one offer turned down for Bergvall. Of course, there has been some contrary reporting in this regard.

There are some outlets that have claimed that no official bid was ever made. There was only an enquiry about the conditions of a potential move.

Whichever may be the case, it is quite clear that there is some level of interest on the part of the Magpies. Now, it remains to be seen if they end up making an offer that Spurs view as suitable.

Would Bergvall be a good signing for Newcastle United this summer?

Of course, Tottenham Hotspur have signed Tonali this summer. On top of that, they have also brought in Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United, after he was linked with Man Utd and Real Madrid.

So, it is easy to understand why Bergvall might not be sure about his game time moving forward. So, a move away might suit him and help Tottenham Hotspur as well, after they have shelled out big money on signings this summer.

Would Bergvall be the right signing for Newcastle United? It could go both ways. On one hand, he is another youngster. The Magpies need some proven quality and experience to fill the void of Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

On the other hand, Bergvall does have a decent bit of experience with Tottenham Hotspur already. He is not going to be another 20-year-old midfielder. He might be ready to step into the starting XI from day one.

Newcastle United have seen two of their proposed signings hijacked this summer already. And now, there will be fears about it happening again, as it has emerged that Tottenham Hotspur are interested in one of the players the Magpies are actively trying to sign.

The first time around, it had looked like they had a deal in place to bring Victor Munoz to the club. It is believed that both a transfer fee and personal terms had been agreed. But the scenario changed in the final 24 hours, and the Spanish winger ended up joining Liverpool instead.

Then there was the Johan Manzambi saga. Newcastle United went as far as agreeing a transfer fee with SC Freiburg for the Swiss World Cup standout. But ultimately, he ended up choosing a move to Aston Villa.

Naturally, Newcastle United fans will be extra careful not to celebrate a signing before it is officially done. And mere speculation about Tottenham Hotspur being interested will be enough to give rise to fresh worries about another transfer hijack.

Tottenham interested in Newcastle United target

The player in question is none other than Amer Dedic. He is said to be on the radar of Tottenham Hotspur. As reported by GIVEMESPORT, Ben Jacobs said while speaking on Last Word on Spurs:

“Another hotly sought-after fullback that I believe is capable of playing both sides is Amar Dedic, who is at Benfica, a player that Matthias Jaissle knows very well, and it’s Newcastle moving at the moment, and they’ve got confidence.

“But he’s made the Tottenham shortlist as one possibility as well. I’m not aware of any kind of formal approach yet to the player side or to Benfica, but it just shows you that they’re starting to shortlist names now.

“I feel they’ll be better prepared because they will have known for quite some time that there was a concrete possibility that Spence could go.”

Newcastle United are believed to be in advanced talks to sign Dedic from Benfica. In fact, it is believed that personal terms have already been agreed with the player.

A transfer fee might not be a problem either, as Benfica are believed to be open to the exit for the right offer. But of course, Newcastle United have been here this summer and failed twice.

So, they need to find a way to get this deal over the line. They will be hoping that Matthias Jaissle’s presence will help them in that regard.

Dedic and Jaissle have already worked together in the past at FC Liefering and RB Salzburg. The right-back has played a total of 52 times under the German manager.

Newcastle need to get this Dedic deal done

Obviously, it is natural for Newcastle United fans to be a bit nervous whenever another Premier League rival ends up getting linked with another one of their players. But right now, it does not look like Spurs have made any type of serious move to sign Dedic.

They are set to lose a full-back though. Djed Spence, who had an elite World Cup and was also linked with Newcastle United, is expected to be announced as a new Inter Milan player tomorrow.

So, Tottenham Hotspur might be in the market for a versatile full-back. So, the Magpies should get this Dedic deal done as soon as they possibly can rather than risk another potential transfer hijack.

Newcastle United have had a nightmare summer transfer window so far. They have seen three of their best players, in the form of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, leave. On the other hand, bringing in replacements has not proven to be easy either.

Newcastle United saw Victor Munoz join Liverpool and Johan Manzambi head to Aston Villa earlier in the window. And they were handed two fresh blows over the past couple of days.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is believed to have turned down a move to Newcastle United. And their alternative, Joao Palhinha, is believed to be looking to join Aston Villa as well.

If all of this was not enough, it looks like Tottenham Hotspur are now advancing in a move to try and sign a striker who is wanted by Newcastle United.

Newcastle United striker target wanted by Tottenham

It is no secret that Newcastle United need to add more goals to their squad. Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa failed to impress last season.

They combined for just 14 goals. Woltemade scored 11 while Wissa managed 3. It is safe to say that was not enough to replace Alexander Isak, who had left for Liverpool. Naturally, the Magpies need to strengthen up front.

That is easier said than done though. Without European football on offer, Newcastle United have had a nightmare time trying to attract top talent. And the competition has not helped matters either.

According to L’Equipe, Tottenham have made their move for Folarin Balogun in recent hours. The London club has laid the groundwork for discussions regarding a transfer estimated at €60 million.

Clubs like Newcastle United and those from Spain are believed to have been monitoring Balogun since the start of the summer transfer window.

Balogun has been linked with Newcastle, Tottenham and more

Balogun was a standout performer for the United States at the World Cup. That was not a one-off though, he has been doing pretty well at club level as well.

Balogun scored 19 goals for AS Monaco last season. Combine that with his World Cup displays and it is not hard to see why he is drawing interest of clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and more.

Of course, he came through the youth ranks at Arsenal and played for them at the senior level as well. So, if he does end up joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer, it would be a controversial move.

Obviously, that would not be reason enough for him not to make a return to North London if the opportunity did present itself. As for the Magpies, if they are still interested in Balogun, they have seemingly fallen behind in the race.

Newcastle United and Arsenal have not been able to reach an agreement so far. But if you asked me, at some point, the two clubs will find a way to make a move for Bruno Guimaraes work.

When the situation gets this advanced in a transfer saga, almost all the time, the move does end up happening. There is no reason to believe this will be any different.

Guimaraes leaving will be a blow to Newcastle United’s midfield department. Unfortunately, it won’t even be the first one they have suffered this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur signed Sandro Tonali in a club-record £100 million deal earlier this window. Could Newcastle United now go for one of Spurs’ players?

Newcastle United readying offer for Tottenham player

According to a report from The Article, Newcastle United are actively discussing whether or not to submit a second offer for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall.

Newcastle are readying a £54 million transfer package for Bergvall. However, the Magpies will assess all options for a Bruno Guimaraes successor before submitting offers.

Bergvall remains Newcastle United’s top target this summer with personal terms agreed in principle. They are thought to have already seen a £46 million offer turned down by Tottenham Hotspur.

Someone like Bergvall could be a solid addition. But he is not the only midfielder to have been linked with Newcastle United in recent days. And a lot of fans might prefer someone with more experience and proven quality at the top level.

Why Newcastle need more experience and proven quality in midfield

So far, Newcastle United’s two additions in midfield have been Sean Steur and Aladji Bamba. So, it is easy to see why the supporters might be seeking a more established option in the middle of the park.

Bergvall has experience of playing in the Premier League. But there are quite a few other intriguing options out there who could make sense for one reason or another.

Reports in France have suggested that Newcastle United are progressing in talks to sign Felix Nmecha from Borussia Dortmund. The former Manchester City man would be a high-profile signing.

Talking about former Premier League players, Danilo of Botafogo is thought to be on Newcastle United’s radar as well although those rumours have gone a bit quiet. The Brazilian international had played for Nottingham Forest for a couple of years before moving back to Brazil, where he has found a ton of success.

Other than that, there have been some rumours about Angelo Stiller as well. The German international, compared to Toni Kroos for his style of play, would be an intriguing addition.

Newcastle United need to strengthen considerably in this summer transfer window. And they might be looking to do that by signing Premier League-proven players next, having already added a fair bit of youth in the form of Bazoumana Toure, Ewen Jaouen and Sean Steur, none of whom were playing in England last season.

Newcastle United have seen one of their most important players leave this summer in Sandro Tonali, who has joined Tottenham Hotspur in a £100 million move.

Now, it might be Newcastle United’s turn to pick up some talent from Tottenham Hotspur. In fact, it appears that they have a couple on their radar.

It might end up taking a £90 million fee to get them both. But when it comes to Premier League-proven, that is pretty much what you can expect to pay in the modern transfer market.

Newcastle United eyeing move for two Tottenham Hotspur players

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle United are plotting moves for Swedish midfielder Lucas Bergvall and England full-back Djed Spence. It is a double deal that could cost as much as £90 million.

The Bergvall rumours have been doing the rounds for a little bit. It has been suggested that Newcastle United have already seen a £46 million bid turned down by Tottenham Hotspur.

But then, contrary reports have also emerged, claiming that no official bid has gone in from Newcastle United when it comes to a potential move for Bergvall, although there is definite interest.

The other player in question is Spence, who ended up having a phenomenal World Cup campaign with the Three Lions. He was arguably England’s best player alongside Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham as they achieved their best finish since 1966.

Would they be good signings for Newcastle?

Tottenham Hotspur have already splashed out heavily to bring in new players this summer. Now, they might need to move on from their current crop of talents.

It is believed that Tottenham Hotspur would want a fee in the region of £50 million to part ways with Bergvall. That feels like a steep figure but when you see some of the other moves that have taken place in the Premier League, it is not hard to understand why Spurs have set that asking price.

On the other hand, Spence’s valuation has jumped following a breakthrough World Cup campaign. Now, it might take around £40 million to bring him to St James’ Park.

Both could prove to be decent additions to this Newcastle United team, which is a bit thin of Premier League-proven talent at this point in time.