The panic over Newcastle United’s injury crisis is getting worse by the day, but there’s a 17-year-old superstar playing in Italy who could fix that problem.
After Dan Burn’s injury at the weekend, things were looking pretty bleak for Newcastle United with just four senior defenders fit ahead of the Fulham game.
Since then, the Magpies have reported Lewis Hall is struggling with a hamstring issue, and then Tino Livramento went off injured during the match.
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It’s still unclear how long those two will be out for, but either way, it’s not looking good for Newcastle heading into the hectic festive period.
While most fans would ideally want a ready-made star to step in and solve this crisis, there are fresh rumours today linking the Magpies with a teenage sensation who will get everyone excited.
Honest Ahanor is a target for Newcastle United
According to a report from TEAMtalk’s transfer insider Graeme Bailey, it’s said Newcastle are one of many clubs that have been keeping tabs on Atalanta wonderkid Honest Ahanor.
The 17-year-old moved from Genoa to Atalanta last summer for £17.5m but his value has soared since. Now, he’s got the likes of Chelsea, Man City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Man United and Spurs watching him regularly.
Newcastle scouts have been spotted keeping an eye on the left-sided centre-half, but clearly, they face a lot of competition for his signature.
It’s thought Ahanor could cost up to £53m now with clubs believing he has the potential to become one of the top defenders in Europe.
He cannot move until the end of the season, given his age, and it’s believed Ahanor is happy enough at Atalanta, for now at least.
Still, the fact that he shares the same agent as Sandro Tonali could well be a factor. Given the midfielder’s influence in Italy, maybe we’ll see Tonali touching base with Ahanor to sell the Newcastle project to him?
So many injuries 😞 Which player are we missing the most?
Is Ahanor the answer?
The idea of spending that kind of money on a 17-year-old may seem crazy, but Ahanor is obviously a very talented player. The fact he is playing fairly regularly in Serie A for one of the best teams out there should tell us all we need to know about his ability.
With Newcastle struggling for options right now, and fans insisting Sven Botman should be sold, the need for reinforcements is significant. Throw in the fact that Fabian Schar, Kieran Trippier, and Dan Burn are all well into their thirties, and it’s clear an overhaul of the Newcastle defence is paramount.
Whether that be in January or in the summer remains to be seen, but it looks like Ahanor could well be worth waiting for.
He can also play at full-back or in midfield, which just adds another string to his bow. Indeed, Eddie Howe could really do with more flexible players who can adapt to different positions, much in the way Lewis Miley has excelled at right-back this term.
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