It feels increasingly possible that Newcastle do not strengthen this month, upping the importance of a big summer transfer window.
It would be a big risk and could leave us short in our pursuit of Champions League football and our first trophy since 1995, but that hasn’t stopped names being linked with a potential summer move in mind.
The latest comes from Brentford, where it seems Cameroonian international Bryan Mbeumo isn’t the only Bees player on Toon scouts’ radar.
Newcastle impressed by another Brentford star
As we shared last week, it’s believed Steve Nickson was recently at the Gtech Stadium to take a closer look at Bryan Mbeumo – but our head of recruitment has also been keeping a closer eye on a certain Brentford defender.
The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder reports that Dutchman Sepp van den Berg has impressed Newcastle scouts, not only this season but during his previous loan spells at Mainz and Schalke.
The 23-year-old is a versatile, right-sided centre-back who has played in several roles this season under Thomas Frank, operating at right-back and left-back alongside his preferred role in the middle.
Van den Berg complete a £25m move from Liverpool over the summer and appears to be in the ‘one to watch’ category in our search for defensive reinforcements, especially now Man City have beaten us to two young talents in Abdukodir Khusanov and Juma Bah.
Ryder reports that Nickson was in the stands to watch Brentford’s 2-2 draw with Man City last week and, despite Mbeumo being the main player of focus, he was also keen to take a closer look at the former Reds talent.
It’s believed Bayern Leverkusen are also watching the centre-back, showing how highly-rated he is across Europe after a strong start to his time in West London.
Two futures uncertain at centre-back
With Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles both out of contract at the end of the season, it’s easy to see why Newcastle are assessing their right-sided options.
Schar is likely to sign an extension, but he is 33 and a long-term replacement has been sought for a few transfer windows now, with Marc Guehi targeted last summer.
As or Lascelles, it feels almost certain that he is released at the end of the season, especially when he’s still a ‘few months’ away from returning following ACL surgery.
