Burnley and Crystal Palace are leading the chase for Jozo Simunovic, but Premier League rivals Newcastle United wanted the Celtic stopper in the summer.
Erik Sviatchenko is not the only centre-back who Celtic appear willing to part company with this month.
According to The Daily Mail, the Scottish champions will listen to offers for Jozo Simunovic provided they manage to seal a deal to bring in Dundee starlet Jack Hendry this month. And with the report adding that the former Dinamo Zagreb man could be available for as little as £7 million, summer suitors Newcastle United should not miss their chance.
So many of the players linked with moves to Tyneside have slipped through Newcastle’s grasp in recent times, must to the frustration of the fans and manager Rafa Benitez, with owner Mike Ashley seemingly unwilling to part with his cash.
But the Magpies should have little trouble meeting Celtic’s demands for Simunovic, if Benitez is keen to reignite his interest in a player Newcastle tried to sign in the summer, as reported by The Mail.
Newcastle would have to move fast, however, with The Mirror stating that Crystal Palace and Burnley are leading the chase for the 23-year-old as things stand.
Palace need Simunovic far more than Newcastle right now, with Scott Dann ruled out for the season and Mamadou Sakho also on the sidelines, denying Roy Hodgson the chance to field the club’s best centre-back pairing.
But Newcastle’s defence has not exactly looked rock solid either of late and Simunovic’s affordable asking price should give Benitez food for thought.
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