Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing 22-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka in the upcoming summer transfer window.
According to the German outlet Bild, as cited by Sport Witness, Newcastle United have added Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka to their transfer shortlist ahead of the summer transfer window.
Newcastle have already secured their Premier League status for next season after a string of impressive results under the tutelage of Eddie Howe. And after a successful January transfer window, the emphasis now shifts to who the Toon will bring in during the exciting summer transfer window.
Howe has been keen on strengthening his backline, although Newcastle failed in their efforts to land any of their top-notch centre-back targets in January. They did, however, bring Dan Burn from Brighton, and that has worked quite well. Still, reinforcements in the centre-back department this summer are necessary, and they are firmly in the process of identifying several targets.
Now, Bild has reported that Newcastle United have set their sights on Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka as their latest defensive target following disappointment in the pursuit of Sven Botman. The Lille centre-back was the Magpies’ first-choice option. But with Botman inching closer to a move to AC Milan, Newcastle have been forced to look elsewhere for a left-footed centre-back.
Evan Ndicka in the Bundesliga this season:
☑️29 games
☑️4 goals
☑️4 assists
☑️48 passes per 90
☑️83% pass accuracy
☑️1.9 tackles won per 90
☑️1.5 interceptions per 90
☑️4.4 clearances per 90
☑️60% of all duels won22 years of age. A modern LCB worth a lot of money! pic.twitter.com/1xuifmYGXp
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) April 25, 2022
Ndicka joined Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2018 from French second division side AJ Auxerre and has since established himself as a crucial component of the Bundesliga side. Despite his tender years, he has racked up 134 appearances for Die Adler in all competitions, chipping in with 10 goals and 9 assists in the process.
The 22-year-old French centre-back has been in fine form this term for the Bundesliga side, scoring four goals and registering as many assists in 29 league appearances. Ndicka is a cornerstone of Eintracht Frankfurt’s rearguard as they seek Europa League glory after dumping out Barcelona in the quarter-finals earlier this month.
As such, Ndicka would be a shrewd option for the Magpies. A commanding defender, his physicality and natural left-foot are increasingly rare commodities for a centre-back. At 6ft 4in, he has the stature to win aerial duels, but his ball-playing abilities cannot be undermined either.
Ndicka has the underlying numbers to back up his dominating presence. He ranks among the top 15 percentile of centre-backs for blocks (2.2), aerials won (4.5), ball recoveries (10.7), successful pressures (4.75) and carries into the final third (1.09) in the Big 5 European leagues.
The 22-year-old’s current contract at Deutsche Bank Park expires in the summer of 2023. And the next window represents Eintracht Frankfurt’s last chance to collect a sizable fee from his sale, with an extension appearing unlikely.
Should Newcastle decide to sign Ndicka, he is expected to command a fee in the region of €28 million. However, he is not the only centre-back on the Tyneside club’s radar. The Magpies are also interested in Monaco’s Benoit Badiashile, Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio and Sevilla’s Diego Carlos.
