Newcastle United’s injury crisis at the back has gone from bad to worse over the past week.
Dan Burn’s derby injury was followed by Tino Livramento hobbling off on Wednesday with another knee issue, leaving both sidelined until the new year.
Mix that with Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth’s absence, along with Sven Botman’s slow return from a back issue, and we’re suddenly left threadbare across our entire back line, with Malick Thiaw, Fabian Schar and Lewis Hall the only three fit.
A versatile defender who can plug a number of these gaps would be an ideal January buy, and it sounds like we already have one in mind.
As revealed by The Mail’s Craig Hope, Newcastle are looking to bring in Toulouse defender Dayann Methalie, who is able to play at full-back or centre-back.
After reporting on our interest in four overseas midfielders in his latest Confidential column, Hope states that Methalie is a player ‘high on Newcastle’s wish list’ heading into the January window.
The 19-year-old has burst onto the scene in Ligue 1 this season, breaking into the France Under-21 squad after impressing at Toulouse; the same club Newcastle raided to sign Moussa Sissoko way back in January 2013.
Ross Wilson recently hinted at targeting more young gems from overseas, and Methalie certainly fits that criteria as a tall (6ft 2″), athletic and highly-rated defender who has clearly impressed Newcastle scouts this season.
A major spend is not anticipated next month, warns Hope, but Newcastle are keen to lower the average age of the squad, strengthen weak areas and start ‘succession planning.’
Methalie would be a step towards doing all three things, as he would not only provide cover and competition for Lewis Hall, but offer us another option should left-sided centre-backs Burn and Botman be injured.
Striking the right deal in January is never easy, but he appears to be a big one to watch as we look to recruit top young talent from abroad this winter.