- Newcastle eyeing Coulibaly
- The Magpies face competition from Chelsea
- Werder Bremen youngster has caught the eye
Newcastle United are reportedly preparing ahead of what looks set to be a busy summer window, but the Magpies face competition with Chelsea to sign Werder Bremen teenager Karim Coulibaly.
Bild reports that the Magpies hold a firm interest in the 18-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakout season in the Bundesliga. But Liam Rosenior’s Blues will offer resistance to any advances from the St James’ Park outfit.
Eddie Howe’s team currently have four registered centre-backs. Still, with Fabian Schar’s and Sven Botman’s repeated injury concerns, a gap may open on Tyneside for the talented wonderkid to wear the Black and White shirt.
Coulibaly – Bundesliga’s Defensive starlet
The German defender began his career at Hamburg, where he progressed through the club’s youth ranks until 2014, when, as part of the U19 squad, he moved to Werder Bremen on a free transfer.
His first campaign was with the U19S, but he made an immediate impact this season. He came off the bench in the first league game of the season, in a 4-1 defeat to Frankfurt.
In the following game against Bayer Leverkusen, he made his first professional start and capped it off with his first goal in a 3-3 draw.
While the team sit just above the Bundesliga relegation playoff position, Bremen manager Daniel Thioune has called on Coulibaly, valued at £39m, to be a regular throughout the season.
What makes him perfect for many top European sides is that the teenager is left-footed and has perfected the role in one of the best leagues in the world.
| Karim Coulibaly Bundesliga 25/26 | Stats |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 23 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Defensive contributions | 152 |
| Dribbled past | 14 |
| Clearances | 94 |
| Successful dribbles | 71.4% |
| Successful passes | 86.4% |
He has shown his ability to progress the ball with precise passes into attacking areas. The way the Magpies boss likes to control the tempo from the backline could be a good indicator of why links to the German defender have begun to emerge.
Newcastle backline rebuild
The injury issues for Schar and Botman don’t seem to be going away. Both players step up to the mark when on the pitch, but unfortunately, neither seems to be on the pitch for too long.
The only real selection Howe has had this season has been Dan Burn and Malick Thiaw. While both have been acceptable in the role, Burn is celebrating his 34th birthday before the end of the season, so they will need to start finding replacements.
It’s not just at the heart of the defence, which is going to see change, as Kieran Trippier’s contract comes to an end, while Tino Livramento continues to see interest from other Premier League sides.
With his age and the fact that he has a year of top-flight experience under his belt, Coulibaly could be on the summer’s agenda. However, there are some risks.
The one year at Bremen may not be enough to play a key role on Tyneside, while switching to a team that plays more possession could expose weaknesses in his game.
There’s no doubt, though, that Newcastle will be investing heavily in their defence, and Coulibaly could be one player who arrives at St James’ Park.
