Sporting Lisbon defender Ruben Semedo could cost as much as £38m this summer – but Newcastle United, Everton and Southampton appear keen.
Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez has reportedly demanded up to £100 million from penny-pinching owner Mike Ashley to improve the Magpies’ squad, The Mirror reports.
Therefore, it would be a major surprise, or statement of intent depending on your perspective, if Benitez was to spend almost 40 per cent of his summer budget on a 23-year-old centre-back. Yet, according to A Bola, Sporting Lisbon prodigy Ruben Semedo is on the Championship winners’ radar, despite the fact his buyout clause is set at £38 million.
Newcastle have been linked with a number of highly-rated centre-backs in recent weeks with Benitez aiming to ensure that the options at his disposal are Premier League ready.
The high-profile errors made by captain Jamaal Lascelles since the turn of the year, and the fact Ciaran Clark finished bottom of the table with Aston Villa a year ago, suggests The Spaniard is right to make new defenders a top priority.
Club-record deal?
However, although Semedo may be one of the most exciting defensive talents on the continent, it would seem a strange move for the club to double their previous club record transfer – the £17 million signing of Michael Owen from Real Madrid in 2005, as reported by the BBC.
According to A Bola, Southampton are also interested and have a good relationship with Sporting, having signed Cedric Soares from the Portuguese giants last year.
And The Sun adds that Everton also sent scouts to watch the versatile defender in action. Bankrolled by billionaire shareholder Farhad Moshiri, Semedo’s monstrous price tag may not stand in The Toffees way – although proven Premier League talent a la Michael Keane and Harry Maguire may be a much safer use of their budget.
However, if Ashley and Benitez want to demonstrate Newcastle’s ambition, paying £38 million for Semedo would be a step in the right direction
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