Newcastle will look to sign Scott McTominay from Manchester United in the summer as Eddie Howe believes midfielder can ‘succeed in his system’… with Howe also keen to make James Maddison one of the ‘five or six players’ in Magpies’ mega recruitment drive
- Howe believes McTominay’s experience and skills make him a valuable prospect
- Newcastle will look to increase squad depth to prepare for playing in Europe
- Maddison and Mason Mount are among their attacking targets this summer
Newcastle will look to bring Scott McTominay into the fold this summer after manager Eddie Howe identified the Scotland international as being able to slot straight into his Magpies side.
McTominay has failed to settle entirely in Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United team and has been most regularly used as a substitute.
Competition in the midfield from Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Fred has seen McTominay spend less and less time in Ten Hag’s preferred starting XI.
Whilst United have previously been adamant about refusing to let the midfielder leave, as per The Telegraph, Newcastle believe United might back down as Ten Hag seeks to fund his own recruitment drive during the window.
It is understood that chief scout Steve Nickson and director of football Dan Ashworth are in agreement with Howe about the value of the 26-year-old, and that the club has been tracking him for a year.
Scott McTominay has struggled for playing time when preferred midfielders are fit at United
Eddie Howe (centre) has long been interested in McTominay as a vital piece of his puzzle
The Magpies’ interest in McTominay was previously reported on in January, but at the time, United were firm about holding onto the midfielder.
Howe is set to use McTominay as a deep-lying midfielder as a belated replacement for Jonjo Shelvey, who was allowed to sign for Nottingham Forest in the January window.
Shelvey quickly shed his allegiances to the north-eastern club, recently calling his former team-mates ‘whingebags’ following Forest’s home 1-2 loss against the Magpies.
By positioning McTominay in front of a back four, Howe would feel more comfortable unleashing Bruno Guimaraes to serve as a well-supported playmaker.
Not only would McTominay work in the system, but he would be able to add a dash of necessary experience in a Newcastle squad with their eyes firmly on European competition.
Howe, who is focused on signing players he has an in-depth knowledge and therefore is predisposed to those with experience in British football, has previously shown interest in signing McTominay’s compatriot, Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney.
But Newcastle are unable to begin seriously planning their future purchases until the end of the season, as finances available will depend on where in Europe they will compete this season.
Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League, Newcastle have two games in hand over their fourth-place rival Tottenham, whose potential capitulation may come at the right time for the Magpies to leapfrog the North London club into the Champions League next season.
James Maddison (left) is one of the bright sparks in a dismal season for Leicester but the promise of silverware could attract a move elsewhere
Regardless, Howe plans to add ‘five or six’ players for greater squad depth, with Mason Mount from Chelsea and Leicester’s James Maddison strongly-favoured options in the attacking midfield.
Maddison is believe to be interested in winning silverware next season, something that may seem a long way off to followers of his current club.
Leicester are currently in a relegation battle at the tightly-packed bottom of the table, hovering above the bottom three by a solitary point.
One stumbling block which could keep Maddison from travelling north however is the prospect of higher wages than those that Newcastle would be interested in offering.
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