Newcastle United's Premier League campaign kicks off later this month as they host Aston Villa at St. James' Park and the home faithful could have a few new faces to see in action.
Who have Newcastle United signed this summer?
Eddie Howe has been able to bring in two new first-team signings so far during the summer transfer window as Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes have come in to bolster his options in midfield and out wide.
Talented youngster Yankuba Minteh has also been brought in but the 19-year-old winger was instantly sent back out on loan to Feyenoord in the Netherlands.
The Northern Echo have claimed that the head coach would like to make two further additions to the side before the deadline passes; a full-back and a central defender.
Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…
Newcastle and top-flight rivals Everton are both reportedly eyeing a swoop for Red Bull Salzburg centre-back Oumar Solet, although it remains to be seen how much it would take for the Austrian giants to cash in on him.
Who is Oumar Solet?
The 23-year-old colossus stands at 6 foot 4 and could form a monstrous partnership with current Magpies titan Sven Botman at the back if the club are able to snap him up before the end of the window.
Solet, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once described as "marauding", enjoyed a terrific 2022/23 campaign with Salzburg and could be a terrific signing for Howe if the French giant is able to translate his form over to English football.
He averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.42 across 25 Bundesliga outings, which shows that the talented youngster produced consistently brilliant performances and rarely allowed his level to dip.
Solet also made a whopping 4.5 tackles and interceptions per game for Salzburg, which is more than any Toon player in any position managed last term.
To put those numbers into context, only Kieran Trippier (7.61) averaged a higher Sofascore rating for Newcastle in the Premier League and Fabian Schar, who Solet could replace on the right side of the defence, averaged a score of 7.13.
The Switzerland international has entered the final year of his contract on Tyneside and turns 32 later this year, which could result in the Salzburg star and Botman, 23, being the long-term pairing for Howe at the back.
Solet and the Dutchman both stand at 6 foot 4 and have the ability to consistently dominate opposition attackers, which could make them a fearsome central defensive partnership for teams to break down this season.
The towering Frenchman won 63% of his Bundesliga duels last term and caught the eye with a stunning 83% aerial contest success rate across four Champions League outings. Meanwhile, Botman won 67% of his battles – 66% of them in the air – throughout his debut Premier League campaign for Newcastle.
This shows that they are both physically strong and imposing defenders who will not be bullied, which could give Howe's side a solid base from which to build.
Therefore, Dan Ashworth and the English tactician could unearth a terrific long-term partnership in defence for the Magpies by signing Solet to replace Botman as Schar's heir this summer.
