Newcastle United has been linked with a growing number of attacking options as Matthias Jaissle and sporting director Ross Wilson consider how to keep reshaping the squad after losing their three best players this summer.
One of the more ambitious names on that list, and not widely linked to the Magpies, is Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane. The 20-year-old’s agent has now directly named Newcastle among the clubs showing interest in his client, as Metro reported by quoting the player’s agent,
Eric Depolo, confirming interest from several major European clubs after previously acknowledging that Arsenal has already established contact with him.
Asked which teams beyond Arsenal had expressed interest, Depolo mentioned Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton, Brentford, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Kofane only joined Leverkusen from Spanish second-division club Albacete last summer for a reported €5.3 million, but his first Bundesliga campaign quickly put him on the radar of some of Europe’s biggest teams and raised his estimated valuation to €26.5 million.
The Cameroon international finished his debut season in Germany with seven goals and nine assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, while also impressing against Arsenal during Leverkusen’s Champions League round-of-16 meetings with the eventual runners-up.
Arsenal appears to be significantly further along in its pursuit than Newcastle, however. Depolo confirmed he has already spoken with the Gunners and suggested Mikel Arteta is particularly interested in the young forward.
“Yes, Arsenal’s interest is genuine,” Depolo said. “The manager [Mikel Arteta] likes him very much.” Depolo even described Arsenal as being in “pole position,” although he stressed that it remains too early to determine where Kofane will ultimately end up, assuming he’s moved.
“I think it is too early to say [which club is leading the race],” Depolo said. “But due to the fact that the player speaks Spanish, like Mikel Arteta, and that William Saliba is originally from Cameroon, I would say Arsenal are in pole position.”
Any move would also require a massive financial commitment if Depolo’s public valuation is remotely indicative of Leverkusen’s expectations. The agent placed a €100 million (£85 million) price tag on his client while discussing his potential.
“He is a €100 million (£85m) player. With Kofane, Arsenal will have a top striker for the next ten years,” Depolo said.
Kofane remains under contract through 2029, leaving Leverkusen in a strong negotiating position and Newcastle facing substantial competition if its interest develops further. Still, having his agent publicly place the Magpies among the clubs interested makes him another forward worth keeping an eye on during the closing weeks of the window.
Kofane would certainly fit Newcastle’s recent preference for young players with significant room to develop, but €100 million seems a bit too much for this lad. Would you make that kind of investment in an unproven 20-year-old forward, or should Newcastle target a more established attacker for Jaissle? Share your take in the comments section below.
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