Newcastle United are interested in signing Joachim Andersen from Crystal Palace this summer and have now received a boost in their pursuit, if reports are to believed.
What's the latest on Joachim Andersen to Newcastle?
That's according to FootballTransfers, who claim that the Eagles might be willing to reduce their initial £40m asking price for the Danish defender with the south London club in pursuit of reinforcements themselves.
Fabrizio Romano recently reported that United have been in constant discussion with the 27-year-old's agents and have made it be known that he is a player they have appreciated for a long time.
FootballTransfers also reported Newcastle's initial interest back in June, and technical director Dan Ashworth now needs to decide whether a deal is feasible given the club's outlay already this summer.
How good is Joachim Andersen?
The 2023/24 Premier League campaign is but a whisker away, with the 20 teams at contrasting stages of their summer transfer business.
Eddie Howe will be one of the more satisfied bosses, having bolstered the first-team ranks with Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento after finishing fourth last season and qualifying for the Champions League.
St. James' Park is headed for further success this season, subjectively of course, and while Howe's transfer appetite is largely sated, there is room for a ball-playing centre-half such as Andersen, who could replace Fabian Schar.
Schar was pivotal to the Magpies' impressive season and started 36 matches in the English top-flight, earning an average Sofascore rating of 7.13, completing 78% of his passes, averaging a key pass every two matches, keeping 12 clean sheets, making 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and 3.8 clearances per game and succeeding with 65% of his total duels.
He was hailed for being "important at both ends" by analyst Statman Dave and this is evidenced through his FBref statistics, where the Swiss ranks among the top 5% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for total shots taken and the top 10% for aerials won per 90.
However, the £40k-per-week titan is out of contract at the end of the season and at 31 years of age, Newcastle might feel that it is time to sign a replacement.
Andersen could be the "leader" - as he was described by his former coach Svend Graversen - to bolster the squad as they look to cement their newfound stature among Europe's elite, with full belief in the transfer of his skills to Tyneside.
The Eagles colossus recorded an average rating of 6.96 last term, completing 80% of his passes, averaging 0.4 key passes per game, making 1.3 tackles and a whopping 5.8 clearances per match and winning 64% of his total duels.
Meanwhile, the 22-cap international also ranks among the top 16% of positional peers for total shots, the top 2% for clearances and the top 17% for aerials won per 90.
By joining the fold at Newcastle, Andersen's performances would only improve and if Ashworth can indeed strike an astute deal for the £80k-per-week gem, Schar's possible departure could leave not so much as a bent in the St. James' Park armour.