According to Football Insider, Newcastle United have made contact with AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori’s representatives in their efforts to sign a centre-back this month.
The Magpies have found themselves in an enviable position over the last few months with their climb up the Premier League table and their confident first-leg victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup at the Emirates this week.
Newcastle have had a complete U-turn in form, tallying up five league victories consecutively and comfortably progressing in the EFL cup, as well as the opportunity to make their mark on their FA Cup campaign this weekend against Bromley.
The dream of securing Champions League football for a second time under Eddie Howe has become a potential reality if the team can remain consistent and keep up their confident form.
Newcastle are currently fifth in the top-flight table, just one point behind Chelsea inside the top four, but there is still a long way to go in the season and a lot of competition for the spots for European qualification.
As a result, grabbing the opportunity to add depth and quality while the transfer market would put Newcastle in an even more advantageous position over their rivals, especially if they can acquire the services of players who can make an instant and influential impact.
Football Insider are reporting this week that the North East giants have made contact with the representatives of AC Milan star Fikayo Tomori, reigniting their interest after their summer approach was knocked back.
The publication reveals that Newcastle intended to put the failed attempt for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi behind them, with a fresh approach for Tomori and have opened talks to get a better understanding of the player’s situation and availability this month.
Should Newcastle sign Fikayo Tomori?
There is no doubt that adding some depth to the defensive set up on Tyneside should be a huge priority, with the long-term future of the centre-back partnership still unclear at present.
Fabian Schar – who turned 33 last month – is the first-team favourite to partner returning Sven Botman, however, not only does his age present a long-term issue his contract situation is currently unresolved.
In January 2024, the Switzerland international extended his contract to summer 2025 and he has played a crucial part in the club’s progression in recent years, it has been reported that the club are in talks to extend his stay but nothing officially confirmed at this stage.
Having said that, there is a real opportunity to nail down the future of the defensive set up with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento breaking through to secure the fullback roles and Botman returning from injury recently, experience will be highly valuable, but also longevity too.
Over nine Serie A appearances so far, Tomori – once hailed “promising” by AC Milan legend Franco Baresi – has won the majority of his duels (58%) and has a 93% pass completion success rate, as well as averaging 53 touches, 1.9 ball recoveries and 1.8 clearances per game.
The 27-year-old defender – who has a reported £41m price tag – could be a great asset for Newcastle if they are looking for a long-term prospect that has the experience in Europe and an understanding of English football as an England international himself.
With that being said, it will be interesting to see if Tomori becomes a strong contender as a target for Newcastle in the coming weeks and whether they will prioritise the signing of a defender this month.
