Newcastle United are reportedly considering a January move for £16.8 million-rated Feyenoord defender Marcos Senesi.
According to Football Insider, Newcastle United are eyeing a winter swoop for Feyenoord centre-back Marcos Senesi as they look to bolster their defensive options.
Newcastle’s desperation to revamp the spine of the side has been well-documented this month. After adding England international Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid for the right-back position, Eddie Howe & co are scouring the market to bring in a couple of central defenders before the January transfer window ends.
Various names have been linked to the North-East outfit for the past few days, with Lille’s Sven Botman leading the wish list. However, it is fair to say the Magpies’ search for a new central defender has proved challenging with no imminent arrivals in sight despite their best efforts over recent weeks, with a number of significant roadblocks.
Newcastle have had two bids for top-target Botman knocked back by Lille, who are adamant about keeping hold of the Dutchman. They have also opened talks for AS Monaco’s Benoit Badiashile, but the 20-year-old has picked up an injury and may miss up to six weeks of action, effectively ruling out a Tyneside switch for the Frenchman, with Howe requiring immediate availability as they look to stave off relegation.
While the Toon are not giving up on their pursuit for Sevilla’s Diego Carlos and a second bid is not out of the question, Newcastle have turned their attention on Feyenoord’s Marcos Senesi, who has emerged as another potential centre-back target.
The 24-year-old signed from San Lorenzo in 2019 and has since established himself as one of the best defenders in Dutch football. Senesi has made 28 appearances across all competitions, notching up two goals and three assists. He has been a key member of the Feyenoord backline that has conceded second-fewest goals in the division so far(17).
The Argentine defender has certainly caught the eye on the continent with his solid performances for the Rotterdam outfit and has been a subject of interest for Spanish giants Real Madrid. Senesi has also been attracting interest from Premier League clubs such as Brighton, Aston Villa and Leeds United. Now, cash-rich Newcastle are monitoring the Feyenoord stopper as a potential transfer target.
Similar to the Magpies’ other defensive targets like Botman and Badiashile, Senesi is a left-footed centre-half. He is relatively quick, has strong positional sense and is a very intelligent game reader. Despite being just 6ft 1in tall, he has a commanding aerial presence within the box. The 24-year-old is very confident on the ball and adept at stepping out from the back. He may be a significant upgrade over Newcastle’s current central defensive options.
The Argentine has 18 months left on his contract with the Dutch club, who are actively trying to tempt Senesi to sign an extension on improved terms. However, with a growing list of admirers, the defender is said to be open to a move away from De Kuip, potentially forcing Feyenoord to cash in on their defensive asset.
It is reported an offer of around £16.8 million would be good enough to secure a deal for the highly-rated Argentine defender this month. Whether Newcastle do make such a lucrative enough offer for the Feyenoord centre-back remains to be seen.
