Premier League duo Leicester City and Newcastle United will go up against each other in the pursuit of Ghana international Abdul Mumin.
According to the Daily Mail, Leicester City and Newcastle United are keeping close tabs on the availability of Vitoria Guimaraes centre-back Abdul Mumin.
The 23-year-old joined the Portuguese side in the summer of 2020 and has since established himself as a regular first-team player at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques. He has made 44 appearances across all competitions so far. Primarily a centre-back, he can also play as a full-back if needed.
The Ghana international’s performances have not gone unnoticed, and several sides are now eyeing a move for him. Newcastle and Leicester have shown defensive frailties this season, and it comes as no surprise that both clubs are watching the defender.
Valued at around £12 million, Mumin could represent excellent value for money. While he is not exactly a household name, the potential he possesses is clear for all to see. If he continues to develop as expected, Mumin could become a leading defender in the years to come.
The Magpies have the joint-worst defence in the Premier League this season and have conceded 42 goals in just 19 games this season. With half of the season yet to come, the Tyneside club needs to make the right purchases in the January transfer window to stave off relegation. Whether this will see them make an all-out approach to land Mumin this month remains to be seen.
Leicester, for their part, are not in danger of being relegated. However, they have under-performed this season and are struggling in the tenth spot in the Premier League. A major reason for their issues has been the porous defence that has let in 33 goals so far. This season, no other team in the top 15 has conceded more than the Foxes.
Wesley Fofana is currently out injured, and Jonny Evans is not getting any younger. Caglar Soyuncu has failed to live up to his reputation, while the signing of Jannik Vestergaard has not yielded the necessary results. Daniel Amartey and Filip Benkovic add strength in numbers, but it is clear that the Leicester defence needs strengthening.
Mumin has over two years left on his current contract. Vitoria are open to selling him for the right price and are wary of seeing him run down his contract. Having proven himself in one of Europe’s second-tier leagues, the time may be right for Mumin to make the step up to the big leagues.
As things stand, Leicester are in a better position than Newcastle. While the Magpies may have found new riches, they are relative paupers on the field with the prospect of relegation looming large. Hence a move to the King Power is a better bet over St. James Park at this point. French giants Olympique Lyonnais are also in the fray for the player. Whether Mumin is ready to make the step up to the English top-flight remains to be seen.
