Newcastle United failed in two bargain basement moves for defenders Ragnar Klavan and Erik Pieters, according to the Chronicle.
The newspaper reports that despite manager Rafael Benitez being interested in both players, neither one of the potential deals came off.
The Magpies boss has been searching for cover at centre back ever since Florian Lejeune went down a serious injury, a search which might be close to its conclusion after the club agreed a fee with Swansea for Federico Fernandez.
Liverpool defender Klavan arrived at Anfield from Augsburg in 2016 but has been in and out of the team during that time. Pieters joined Stoke from PSV in 2013 and has gone on to make 184 appearances in all competitions for the Potters.
OPINION
Even when Benitez indulges his owner’s enthusiasm for low-cost deals he still couldn’t get a signing through the door. Centre back has been an area of key importance for the Spaniard throughout the summer transfer window, and with the potential arrival of Fernandez he looks to finally have got his man. Newcastle fans should be happy about this news, really, because Fernandez is a better defender than either Klavan or Pieters. Both are decent enough players, but neither would’ve set Magpies supporters’ hair on fire. Pieters, due to his ability to play both centre back and left back, would’ve been a good purchase, as left back is also a position where Newcastle are understaffed. Perhaps the club should consider going back in for the Dutchman, as they currently have only Paul Dummett and Achraf Lazzar at left back. It’s a sad state of affairs when your club can’t secure deals for a back up centre back and a player from a team that just got relegated, but that’s life as a Newcastle fan these days: nothing surprises you anymore.
