Erik Sviatchenko has been tipped to swap Celtic for the Premier League this summer – but Jozo Simunovic would be a better buy for Newcastle or West Brom.
It’s no surprise that Newcastle United and West Brom both appear to be targeting defensive reinforcements in the off-season, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Both clubs may have enjoyed superb campaigns, The Magpies promoted from the Championship at the first time of asking and The Baggies set for their first ever top half Premier League finish, but they have been far from secure at the back in recent months.
Doubts persist over whether Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles can make the grade in the top flight after a number of nervy displays while West Brom have kept just one clean sheet in ten games.
Therefore, the Daily Mail reports that Newcastle and West Brom have identified Celtic’s no-nonsense centre-half Jozo Simunovic as a potential summer target.
The 22-year-old is highly regarded at Parkhead and is seen as a major part of the club’s future plans by manager Brendan Rodgers. After overcoming a series of knee problems and narrowly missing out on a move to Torino last year, the former Dinamo Zagreb youngster has become one of the first names on Rodgers’ team-sheet and a regular starter at centre-half.
As a result, he is now valued at £9 million – three times the amount the club paid for him in 2015.
Yet, when reports broke that Newcastle and West Brom were targeting a defender from Celtic, you could be forgiven for assuming they would be monitoring the progress of Erik Sviatchenko.
The Dane was linked with a January move to both Leicester City and Southampton, as reported by The Sun, and is expected to follow in the footsteps of Virgil Van Dijk and swap Scotland for the Premier League.
Yet, most Celtic supporters will tell you that Simunovic is a superior all-round defender. Rodgers appears to think so too, dropping Sviatchenko for Simunovic after the turn of the year.
Therefore, it appears that Newcastle and West Brom have their eyes set on the right man.
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