Despite the partnership of Fabian Schär and Sven Botman working like a charm this season for Newcastle United, Eddie Howe is looking to bolster his defence.
After all, the club will have to play Champions League football in the next campaign, and that will require strength in depth if the Magpies want to be competitive across the board.
That’s why the exclusive from Calcio Napoli 24 claiming Newcastle are interested in a couple of centre-backs doesn’t come as that much of a surprise.
The first is Napoli’s Kim Min-jae, who appears to be promised to Manchester United, but the Tyneside club might have something to say about that.
For those who aren’t aware, Kim Min-jae has a release clause in his contract that can be triggered between July 1st and July 15th, with the amount fluctuating depending on the level of the club interested in triggering it.
Should he leave, the Italians would turn their attention to Pau Torres, who could be available from Villarreal for €30-40m despite having a release clause if €60-65m, but this attractive price has also caught the attention of Eddie Howe and co.
It’s pointed out that signing Torres ‘would not be a simple operation’ for Napoli, as he would be expensive and there is competition for him.
Juventus are mentioned, alongside Newcastle, who are said to ‘like him’, perhaps as an alternative to the South Korean.
