Newcastle United are believed to be looking to hijack Tottenham's move for a centre-back this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.
Who is Edmond Tapsoba?
Edmond Tapsoba is an impressive central defender currently plying his trade at Bayer Leverkusen, maturing into a key figure since arriving from Vitoria de Guimaraes back in 2020. He has made 137 appearances for the Bundesliga side to date, including 32 starts in the league last season, highlighting his importance and consistency.
The 24-year-old has also won 36 caps for Burkina Faso, showing that he is already a very established player at international level, too, despite still being relatively young.
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It could be that Tapsoba looks for a fresh challenge before the 2023/24 season properly gets into full swing, though, despite the fact that his current Leverkusen deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026.
Newcastle are continuing to look at potential centre-back options before the transfer cutoff at the end of the month, with a younger upgrade on Fabian Schar arguably needed. It looks as though Tapsoba could be an option, following a new update.
Could Newcastle sign Edmond Tapsoba?
According to Football Insider, Newcastle are keen on making a move for the Leverkusen defender in the current transfer window, pipping Spurs to his signature in the process:
"Newcastle United are ready to launch a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba, sources have told Football Insider. The 24-year-old, who is also wanted by Tottenham, has been made a top target by the Magpies as they line up their latest summer arrival.
"Football Insider revealed last week (4 August) that Spurs planned to accelerate their push to sign Tapsoba after completing the capture of Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg. Leverkusen are demanding around £50million for the defender and that price could rise if multiple other European clubs formalise their interest in the coming weeks."
Tapsoba could be a fantastic option for Newcastle this summer – football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as "solid as a rock" – ticking so many when it comes to the type of player Eddie Howe is looking to bring in.
At 24, he is at that sweet spot where he is experienced at both club and international level, but also still has plenty of time to improve further, as is the case with Sven Botman, who is still only 23 years of age. They could be a long-term pairing at St James' Park for many years, proving to be the bedrock for the team in the process.
Tapsoba, who currently earns £52,000 per week at Leverkusen, averaged an impressive 3.6 clearances per game in the Champions League last season, not to mention three per match in the Bundesliga, and he also enjoyed a 91.3% pass completion rate in the former, showing how competent he is with the ball at his feet on the big stage.
This would feel like another big signing if Newcastle could get a deal over the line, particularly if it comes at the expense of a fellow top-four challenger in Spurs, showing that the Magpies are now a more appealing club to join than the north Londoners, which arguably hasn't been the case for a long time.
