With Premier League safety within touching distance of being secured, Newcastle United can start planning for a busy summer transfer window. The Magpies brought in five players in January to aid their push for survival, which as it stands appears to have paid dividends, as they currently sit nine points clear of the bottom three.
And the new ownership almost certainly aren’t likely to rest on their laurels in their first summer window, as they look to build a team capable of pushing into the top half. Given where Newcastle currently are as a club, it is likely that they will target some of Europe’s top young players, rather than established big names to ensure a team hungry for success is built.
In the latest CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post, they have released a list of the top 100 performing U21 players from 32 European leagues. So with that in mind, here is a look at five potential youngsters they could target based on that.
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Josko Gvardiol – RB Leipzig
Croatian centre back Josko Gvardiol is at number four on the list, making him the best performing young defender in Europe. Gvardiol has started 25 on Leipzig’s 27 Bundesliga matches this season and can play at left back, as well as in central defence.
Leeds United came close to signing him prior to his move to the Bundesliga and he has shown exactly why they were prepared to fork out almost £20 million on teenager. There is no doubt his value will have soared while at Leipzig, but with the funds behind Newcastle, nothing can be ruled out.
Levi Colwill – Huddersfield Town (Chelsea)
Another excellent performing young centre back, who may not cost as much as the aforementioned Gvardiol, is Chelsea’s Levi Colwill. The 19-year-old has impressed hugely on loan at Huddersfield Town in his debut season in senior football and has helped them get right in the mix for promotion.
Colwill’s availability in the summer could depend on the ownership situation at Chelsea, with Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger both out of contract. However, Newcastle could replicate what Crystal Palace did last summer – as they spent over £20 million on young Chelsea centre back Marc Guehi after an impressive season in the Championship.
He is now Palace’s captain and has already been capped by England, highlighting the talent they have on show in the Blues’ academy.
Kouadio Kone – Borussia Monchengladbach
Yves Bissouma and Kalvin Phillips have been the two most linked defensive midfielders ahead of the summer, but a younger and potentially cheaper alternative could be Kouadio Kone. The 20-year-old has established himself as a regular at Monchengladbach in his first full season at the club.
The Bundesliga side signed him from Toulouse in January 2021 but loaned him straight back for the remainder of the season. Kone has the most number of tackles and pressures in the Monchengladbach team, as well as a pass accuracy of almost 88%, showing he is a defensive midfielder at the top of his game both on and off the ball.
Hugo Ekitike – Stade Reims
Newcastle United came close to signing Hugo Ekitike in January, and for good reason, as he is ranked 29 th on the list, despite having not played since February. It is likely the Magpies will return for him in the summer as he is one of France’s most highly rated young players.
The 19-year-old has scored nine goals and provided three assists in 21 Ligue 1 matches this season, in what is his first year at this level of football. Newcastle could look to revamp their forward line in the upcoming window and Ekitike could be a great way to start.
Adam Hlozek – Sparta Praha
At just 19-years-old, Adam Hlozek has already racked up 124 appearances for the first team of Sparta Praha. Hlozek is a prolific goal scorer and creator, with 38 goals and 34 assists in that period.
He has already been linked with a number of Europe’s big sides but it could be beneficial for the 14-time capped Czech Republic international to move to a club like Newcastle, where he can continue to learn his trade. Hlozek is a versatile forward who can play anywhere across the front, which would be a great addition to Eddie Howe’s squad.
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