The £30m Newcastle United transfer hijack deal that could transform side next season

Thoughts of what was an underwhelming season at Newcastle United have been placed firmly in the past and the Magpies are now fully focused on what lies ahead.

Their summer transfer window has already been frantic with academy product Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh sold to Nottingham Forest and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively as the St. James’ Park hierarchy successfully fought off any threat of falling foul of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations. Magpies stalwarts Matt Ritchie and Paul Dummett have also departed as their contracts came to an end and there has been speculation suggesting the likes of Miguel Almiron, Martin Dubravka and Callum Wilson could also be allowed to leave before the end of the window.

There have been new faces arriving as Lewis Hall completed a permanent move to Tyneside after the Chelsea and England Under-21 left-back spent last season on loan at St. James’ Park. Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly was secured on a free transfer, while goalkeeping duo Odysseas Vlachodimos and John Ruddy also joined to provide competition for current number one Nick Pope.

The Magpies business is far from over and a winger and striker are believed to be at the top of the agenda for the remainder of the transfer window and adding another goalkeeper has not been ruled out. However, perhaps the most important move the Magpies will make will be to bring in another centre-back as they face up to being without the services of club captain Jamaal Lascelles and Dutch defender Sven Botman until November after they suffered serious knee injuries during the second half of last season.

As it stands, Howe can call upon the services of Fabian Schar, Dan Burn and recent addition Lloyd Kelly at the heart of his defence and Swedish international Emil Krafth can also be used as an emergency option at centre-back. The Magpies did make an unsuccessful bid to sign Fulham star Tosin Adarabiayo prior to his free transfer switch to Chelsea earlier in the summer and there is an acceptance a new defender must be secured before the window ‘slams shut’ at the end of August.

The likes of AC Milan star Malick Thiaw, Benfica youngster Antonio Silva, Torino’s Italy international Alessandro Buongiorno and Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio have all been linked with moves to Newcastle since the end of last season and all four players are said to have been monitored by Magpies recruitment staff in recent months. However, the most recent speculation has suggested Newcastle are aiming to hijack West Ham United’s move for France international Jean-Clair Todibo, who has also been linked with moves to the likes of Juventus, Liverpool and Manchester United.

HITC have reported the Magpies have held talks with Ligue 1 club Nice and the former Barcelona defender’s representatives following the appointment of Paul Mitchell as their new sporting director last week. Their interest in Todibo is said to be ‘strong’ - although West Ham made the first move for the centre-back after they agreed a season-long loan deal with Nice with an obligation to complete a £33m permanent switch 12 months later. To further muddy the waters, Todibo is said to have ‘agreed terms’ with Serie A giants Juventus and is now waiting for the two clubs to agree a transfer fee.

Newcastle’s interest in Todibo can be classed as long-term after recruitment staff monitored the 24-year-old throughout his three-year stay with Nice and that interest has been ramped up over the last fortnight as they look to boost their defensive ranks. With Howe showing a preference for pace, pressing and comfort on the ball, Todibo looks to be an ideal fit for the Magpies boss as he looks to piece together a squad capable of challenging for Europe once again during the upcoming Premier League season.

Comparing Todibo to two other reported Magpies targets - Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Bologna’s Ricardo Calafiori - shows just why there may be a preference for the France international. Todibo’s passing accuracy (89.7%) across last season sits above both Branthwaite and Calafiori and he also sits at the top of this mini-table for average tackles per 90 minutes. More significantly, Todibo’s average touches in the defensive third and average progression into midfield sit comfortably above Branthwaite and Calafiori and surprisingly also compare favourably to Liverpool star Virgil Van Dijk and Manchester United new boy Leny Yoro.

At the age of 24, Todibo also fits into Newcastle’s preferred age range when it comes to expensive new signings and would provide a long-term successor to Magpies defensive stalwart Fabian Schar and give Howe a high class addition to his squad ahead of the new season. This move, should it be completed, works on several levels for the Magpies and it should be no surprise to see them ramp up their interest in the highly-rated defender.