Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby is ‘wanted’ by Newcastle United this summer, with the German side planning a ‘general overhaul’ of the squad.
That’s according to BILD, who cover Leverkusen today and potential transfers in and out of the club in the coming weeks and months.
They explain that despite making it into Europe, a 3-0 defeat in Bochum at the end of the season meant this campaign ended on something of a low point for Xabi Alonso’s team.
The plan is for him to work alongside sports boss Simon Rolfes in the summer to ‘clean up’ the squad and ensure next year they are back to their best.
Two new signings have already been confirmed and Granit Xhaka is expected to join them from Arsenal but ten, even eleven players could depart.
Diaby is one of them, having been the star of the show again this season for the German club with 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
He is ‘wanted by Newcastle’, who are planning to strengthen their squad after an impressive year that ended in Champions League qualification.
The Frenchman is a longstanding target for them, with reports going all the way to last year insisting that he is a player they’ve been keeping an eye on.
They will have to be cautious, though, with BILD explaining that he is one two ‘endurance racers’ in the Leverkusen squad who have played in 48 of the 49 games this season and were ‘flat and overplayed’ by the end of it.
That’s something Newcastle and his other suitors will want to make a full check on before committing to any deal, which is likely to be an expensive one.
The interest remains, though, with the feeling in Germany that Newcastle will certainly be in the mix for the forward again this summer.
