Newcastle United are now ready to battle Real Madrid and Barcelona in the race to sign a teenage sensation who’s been compared to Kevin de Bruyne, according to recent reports.
The Magpies are looking to bounce back off the pitch following a disastrous start to their Premier League campaign. Eddie Howe’s side have won just three of their opening 11 games and their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford was their most damning yet.
For the first time during his time at the club, Howe is under pressure to turn things around and admitted there is “no excuse” for how his side performed in West London last weekend.
The international break comes at a good time for those at St James’ Park, but they must use it well to find a solution for their current problems. In the space of six months, they’ve gone from a top four side to the bottom half of the Premier League in dismal fashion.
With the January transfer window now less than two months away, the solutions could also come courtesy of the market. Newcastle endured the most chaotic summer possible before eventually landing on record signing Nick Woltemade and the now-injured Yoane Wissa, but a smoother winter window could result in some much-needed improvement.
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To that end, new sporting director Ross Wilson has already reportedly identified targets such as Everton’s James Garner and now a young midfield sensation who’s attracting the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Newcastle ready to join Kees Smit race
As reported by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are now ready to join the race to sign Kees Smit alongside some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Some in the Netherlands are expecting the 19-year-old to leave AZ Alkmaar next summer and his £20m value could see those at St James’ Park land an undeniable bargain.
Whilst Smit has been compared to De Bruyne by those in his home country, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman recently likened him to Barcelona’s impressive star, Pedri – saying: “He has the awareness to receive in tight spaces and move the ball forward. That is something we value.
“The resemblance people see (with Pedri) is in how he positions himself and his decision-making under pressure. Big clubs follow players with these characteristics. That is normal. What is important is that he continues developing where he is, playing regularly.”
Como scout Ben Mattinson also went as far as to describe Smit as “aggressive” and dubbed him a “duel monster” back in March. The fact is, the more that the midfielder features, the better he looks and he now looks destined for a big move as a result.
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