Newcastle United’s search for midfield reinforcements appears to have taken another turn following their failure to land Johan Manzambi.
After agreeing a fee with Freiburg and the player, the Magpies watched Aston Villa move ahead in the race for the Switzerland international, convincing him to join them instead of the Tyneside club.
Now, Newcastle has been linked with two Parma players, one of them midfielder Mandela Keita, as they continue to reshape Eddie Howe’s squad for the upcoming season.
According
to Parma Today, Newcastle have already made enquiries about Keita, with the 24-year-old emerging as an alternative midfield target. The interest comes amid a summer that has already seen Newcastle sell Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur and Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, while captain Bruno Guimaraes continues to be linked with Arsenal.
According to Guglielmo Trupo, Keita is valued at a starting price of €25 million (£21 million), making him a significantly cheaper option than Manzambi would have cost. Per SportWitness, Leeds United and Everton are also interested in the Belgian international.
Whether Newcastle formalizes its interest and turns it into a formal offer remains to be seen. Still, Keita seems to have emerged as another name under consideration as Howe looks to rebuild his midfield.
