With just a couple of weeks to go until the Premier League season starts, Newcastle United are still trying to bring a new central defender to St James' Park.
The Magpies eye defensive reinforcements
Despite securing the signing of free agent Lloyd Kelly during the early passages of the summer, it appears that Newcastle are still intent on bolstering Eddie Howe's defence before the window slams shut at the end of this month.
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The name most commonly associated with a move to Tyneside is AC Milan's Malick Thiaw. The German defender has been in the Magpies' sights for some time with the 22-year-old set to be shown the door at the San Siro this summer. A recent update in the Italian press has suggested that the Toon have upped their offer for Thiaw as they look to finally seal a deal for the player.
Another player touted for a move to St James' Park is England star Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace man has numerous suitors this summer with Newcastle set to compete with Liverpool for the defender's signature. Fabrizio Romano recently shed some light on this deal, stating that the Toon could soon submit a formal bid for Guehi.
Rounding off Newcastle's most recent rumours is the Toon's links with Fikayo Tomori. The Chelsea youth product is now plying his trade with AC Milan and could be a back up option for Newcastle if a move for Thiaw does not materialise. The 26-year-old is said to be valued at around £40million by his current side.
With a new central defender clearly the priority for Newcastle this summer, the club are now set to battle West Ham United to sign a highly-rated star.
Toon target Toulouse talent
As reported in the Italian press and relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle and West Ham are both interested in a deal for Logan Costa from Toulouse. The outlet claims that both sides are in the picture to sign the player this summer, however the Ligue 1 outfit will apparently demand up to €21m from English clubs, a €6m (£5m) premium on the €15m they are asking for from Serie A side Bologna.
Bologna had shown an interest in Costa but were put off by the fee that Toulouse were requesting, but it appears they are looking to try and squeeze a higher fee from the riches of the Premier League but willing to compromise with the Italian side.
Costa made 38 appearances for Toulouse in all competitions last season, scoring once in the process. The 23-year-old also featured heavily during Cape Verde's Africa Cup of Nations campaign that saw his side make it all the way to the quarter-finals losing out on penalties to South Africa.
The defender also played a key part in Toulouse's participation in last year's Europa League. Costa played in all but one of his side's games as the French outfit picked up a notable scalp against Premier League giants Liverpool.
With many of Newcastle's defensive targets demanding fees more than double that of Costa, the 23-year-old could be a bargain option for the Magpies this summer.