According to SPORT, Newcastle have given up hope of signing Sven Botman, and are now pursuing a deal for Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.
What’s the story?
Well, after Lille rejected a €35m (£29m) bid from Newcastle for Botman, it seems the Magpies have no intention of going any higher.
Instead, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) look likely to sanction a deal for Umtiti, who Barcelona are trying to offload.
The 28-year-old has mainly been left on the bench since Xavi replaced Ronald Koeman, and along with Philippe Coutinho, he has been placed on the scrapheap.
However, SPORT believe the France international is only willing to leave Barcelona on loan, as he wants to return to the Camp Nou this summer.
Therefore, any deal Newcastle complete would not involve an option to buy the World Cup winner on a permanent basis.
Newcastle should ignore Samuel Umtiti
In our view, this signing wouldn’t make much sense for Newcastle.
Umtiti is prone to injuries, and missed 25 games last season due to fitness issues.
Is that really what Eddie Howe needs in a relegation battle?
Realistically, if Newcastle sign Umtiti, it’s highly probable that he only makes a handful of appearances before returning to Spain.
If you could guarantee the centre-back would be fit enough for every game, it would be a loan deal worth considering, as Umtiti is a quality player.
However, he’s far too unreliable for Newcastle to be signing him, especially as the Magpies languish 19th in the Premier League.
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