Why Newcastle could spend £87m to seal a more exciting signing than Manzambi

Newcastle United have plenty of time to make some signings this summer, but they cannot afford to while the transfer window away and continue to lose out on top targets to their Premier League rivals.

Johan Manzambi is going to sign for Aston Villa, and while it feels like every move the Magpies make equates to a humiliation ritual at the moment, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has stressed that the Toon chiefs were never convinced that the Switzerland midfielder was sold on their project, and thus have kept their options open.

How will they respond? Newcastle will need to sign a midfielder, but they do have options at their disposal – and other areas to strengthen besides.

Who could benefit from Newcastle missing out on Manzambi

Newcastle have already sold Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur for £100m this summer, and losing the Arsenal-linked Bruno Guimaraes would tear a gaping hole through the fabric of Eddie Howe‘s project.

However, Sean Steur has already been signed in a £23m package, the 18-year-old midfielder joining from Ajax and with a weight of expectation too. He is tipped for big things, maestro-like passing and composure in tight situations.

Someone else could benefit from the Manzambi deal caving in, though, with PIF officials understood to have swivelled to Atalanta star Ederson, who could be up for grabs now that his move to Manchester United has fallen through.

Further to that point, Lewis Miley can’t be heartbroken over these recent developments. “The next young English superstar”, as he has been crowned by pundit Pat Nevin, made headway at Newcastle last season, and he won’t want to see his pathway blocked.

Jacob Ramsey also showed flashes of quality at St. James’ Park last season, and while Howe and co need to maintain their pursuit of a new midfielder, there are ready-made options available, and that could allow the Toon to pivot to other areas in need of work.

Newcastle prepare big-money bid for Bundesliga star

There is a lot of uncertainty at Newcastle right now, but plenty of time to put their problems to rights and strengthen Howe’s struggling side.

Manzambi may be off the cards, but Newcastle also need to add quality to their frontline, and though Bazoumana Toure has replaced Anthony Gordon now that the Three Lions star has joined Barcelona, it’s clear that the frontline still lacks something.

Well, according to FussballDaten over in Germany, Newcastle are ready to make a move for Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane, seemingly undeterred by their £87m asking price.

The 19-year-old stormed onto the German scene last season, scoring five goals and supplying four more across only 12 starting appearances.

Fast, furious and stylish on the ball, Kofane is a modern-tailored striker, all that underpinning a deadly edge in front of goal. Manchester United are also firmly in the race for this rising star, so fears are naturally going to arise as to whether Howe and co can close this deal – but if they do, they might just land a future superstar.

Both Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa flattered to deceive on Tyneside last season, and while the new season could give rise to a change of fortunes there, Kofane may well have the quality to overtake both men, hailed as “one of the most exciting strikers in the world” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Kofane completed 83% of his passes and 58% of his dribbles in the Bundesliga last season, and though he’s still learning the craft, Leverkusen’s £87m demands might just suggest that he would be the crown jewel of the Toon’s summer transfer window, surpassing the impact of the likes of Manzambi.

Manzambi might be a physical force of an attacking midfielder, but does he has the on-the-ball quality to effectively replace Tonali, perhaps Guimaraes too?

A blunt attacking edge formed one of the cruxes of Newcastle’s decline under Howe’s wing last term, and Kofane’s all-round offensive game could see him emerge as the perfect new dimension, one who could develop into a talisman on Tyneside and fire Newcastle back into the ascendancy.

Sure, the Toon need a new midfielder but Kofane – cut from a similar cloth as a young Alexander Isak – would appear to be the more exciting addition here. He’s ready and waiting to explode, to become one of the most feared forwards in Europe before too long.