Newcastle United are reportedly keen to bring Japan star Ritsu Doan to the Premier League from Eredivisie outfit FC Groningen.
FC Groningen might be scrapping it out down the bottom end of the Eredivisie table but anyone who has watched Dutch football on a weekly basis this season will be at pains to tell you that Ritsu Doan does not deserve to be in a relegation battle.
At the age of just 20, Doan is already proving himself to be Groningen’s go-to star man and a tally of four goals and two assists hardly tells half of the story. The Japanese midfielder is the man who makes things happen, a player capable of opening up defences with a wonderful pass or finding the top corner with a long-range screamer.
So it is no surprise that Doan is starting to catch the eye from clubs outside of The Netherlands.
According to The Chronicle, Newcastle United have been keeping a close eye on the former Gamba Osaka midfielder in the last few months and there is no doubt that they will have been impressed by what they have witnessed.
It is understood that Doan has a price-tag of just £1.7 million – a fee that would be well within Newcastle’s budget and a potential bargain for a player so highly rated that he’s even attracted the interest of Manchester City.
And while Doan is far from a household name, it is not too soon to describe the five-time Japan international as one of the most promising young midfielders not just in Holland but anywhere in European football right now, reflected by his nomination for the prestigious Golden Boy award this year.
For £1.7 million, Newcastle could sign a player who could be worth £30 or £40 million more in a few years’ time.
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