Newcastle eyeing £34m "orchestrator" who can be Bruno's next Paqueta

Newcastle eyeing £34m “orchestrator” who can be Bruno’s next Paqueta

Despite a possible need to bolster the squad depth this month, much of the talk at Newcastle United has been centred around potential outgoings, with a handful of high-profile stars courting interest from afar.

Bayern Munich have been heavily linked with a move for influential defender Kieran Trippier – albeit with that deal now looking dead in the water – while Miguel Almiron could be on his way to Saudi Arabia, amid interest from Al Shabab.

Those potential departures – as well as the speculation surrounding Callum Wilson’s future – have dominated proceedings of late, although that’s not to say that new arrivals won’t also be on the agenda, particularly with the midfield ranks set to be depleted following the news that Joelinton is set to be out until May.

Newcastle eyeing Joelinton replacement

According to a report from Italian outlet, Calciomercato, the Magpies are among the clubs showing an interest in Atalanta star, Teun Koopmeiners, with Eddie Howe’s side potentially set to battle it out with the likes of Liverpool, Napoli and Juventus for the Dutchman’s signature.

As per the piece, that quartet of clubs have all ‘knocked timidly on Atalanta’s door for their jewel’, albeit with the Bergamo-based side hesitant to cash in at present, instead hoping to spark something of a bidding war in the summer.

If Newcastle are to get their man more urgently, they will seemingly have to offer beyond the touted valuation of €40m (£34m), with it yet to be seen what funds Howe will have to play with amid the club’s current FFP concerns.

How Koopmeiners could fit in at Newcastle

If the St James’ Park outfit can cobble together the required funds to land the midfield “orchestrator” – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – they could be able to find a perfect partner for Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of the park.

Such a partnership could blossom due to the fact that Koopmeiners is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Guimaraes’ international colleague and friend, Lucas Paqueta, according to FBref.

The two Brazilians notably played alongside each other at Ligue 1 side Lyon prior to moving to the Premier League, with the Newcastle hero having even urged the now West Ham United talisman to follow him to the northeast back in 2022 – amid apparent interest from the Magpies.

While Paqueta instead opted to move to the London Stadium, that switch has more than paid off, with the playmaker – who has featured alongside Guimaraes on 49 occasions for club and country – providing 23 goals and assists in 68 games for the Hammers.

Bringing in Koopmeiners could lead to similar rewards for those at St James’, with the 25-year-old notably similar to his fellow left-footer due to his creative prowess, ranking in the top 8% among his European peers for progressive passes per 90, while Paqueta ranks in the top 5% in that regard.

That ability to make an impact in the final third can also be seen by the fact that both Koopmeiners and Paqueta have chipped in with 11 goals and assists apiece for their respective clubs this season across all competitions, making their mark impressively from a central role.

The duo are also alike amid their desire to muck in defensively and do the dirty work in midfield, with the Netherlands international ranking in the top 17% for aerial duels won per 90, while the West Ham man is just ahead as he ranks in the top 10% for that same metric.

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The Magpies appear to be keen to hijack a rival deal for an exciting talent before the end of the window.

With Guimaraes hailing Paqueta as a player with “massive talent”, to be able to land a perfect alternative in the form of the Atalanta star could prove an ideal deal for all concerned, with Howe able to fashion a truly stunning midfield duo.