Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on signing Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen.
The Denmark international, 28, has played only once this season due to an Achilles injury sustained back in August. He is not expected to return anytime soon and has been tipped to leave Barcelona in 2025. And with Ronald Araujo recently returning to the squad from a long-term injury, the 28-year-old’s chances are expected to be further limited in the second half of the campaign.
As a result, Blaugrana are planning to move him on to allow them space in the wage bill to register Dani Olmo in January. Now, according to a report from Fichajes, Newcastle United have been alerted by Andreas Christensen’s situation at Barcelona. Talks between the two clubs could intensify in the coming days with the winter transfer window on the horizon.
Andreas Christensen to Newcastle United—The right option for the club?
Newcastle United haven’t been at their best defensively since the start of the season. While they kept a clean sheet in the 4-0 drubbing of Leicester City at the weekend, one can’t ignore the fact that the Magpies have conceded 21 goals in 16 games. Defensive frailties and inconsistency have seen them drop to 12th in the table.
Eddie Howe has been missing Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman owing to serious knee injuries. This has limited his options in central defence, with Dan Burn partnering Fabian Schar since the start of the campaign. The Englishman must ensure his side’s backline tighten up defensively, which makes the signing of a quality central defender a seeming necessity.
Andreas Christensen could be a smart option. The Denmark international has past experience of playing in the Premier League with Chelsea, where he spent six seasons and clocked 93 appearances. Perhaps due to that, he should be able to settle in quickly and make an instant impact at Newcastle if he joins the club.
Christensen can operate as a centre-back, full-back or defensive midfielder, and such flexibility would be appealing to Howe. Calm and composed on the ball, tenacious in the challenge and competitive in the air, the ex-Chelsea man could be a strong partner for Schar. His potential acquisition will also see Burn move back to the left-back position, where he has played most of his games at Newcastle under Howe.
All in all, the Toon Army must bolster their defensive ranks as well as their chances of qualifying for Europe by signing Andreas Christensen from Barcelona.
