Newcastle United have a realistic chance of signing Bayer Leverkusen defensive sensation Odilon Kossounou this summer.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United had a difficult time last season as they struggled with injuries. The lack of depth in their squad was quite clear as they couldn’t reach the levels they did the season before. While they have already made two defensive additions, the Tyneside club still do not have enough depth in the heart of the defence.
According to a report from Kicker, the Magpies are interested in the services of Odilon Kossounou as they look to reinforce their backline. While their priority is to bring in Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, they haven’t been able to strike a deal for his services. With Joachim Andersen closing in on an exit, Guehi is unlikely to leave the Eagles.
While Newcastle did look at Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba as an ideal alternative, he has been declared an untouchable by the German club. As a result, reports have linked the Reds with his teammate Odilon Kossounou.
The Magpies have a realistic chance of signing the 23-year-old Leverkusen centre-back as their Sporting director Simon Rolfes has admitted that there could be one or two changes to their squad before the end of the window.
While talking about the Ivorian centre-back during an interview with Sport.de, the Leverkusen sporting director said: “But in principle he is actually a player we are planning to use. But of course it could be that there are one or two changes in our squad.”
The German club seem quite open to negotiating the departure of the youngster and it could represent the perfect opportunity for Newcastle who are short in the central defence. With Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman out injured, the Magpies only have two central defenders, as a result, they could battle other clubs for the signature of Odilon Kossounou who is valued at around €45 million.
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