Newcastle rush to sign relegated star defender as Eddie Howe main transfer target

Newcastle United have held preliminary talks with relegated Leeds United about signing Robin Koch.

Following his relegation with Leeds United, several Premier League clubs are prepared to offer German defender Robin Koch an immediate return to the Premier League.

Newcastle have lately been connected with an offer for the 26-year-old German international, but there are other Premier League clubs further down the line.

Newcastle is one of five Premier League clubs interested in Robin Koch.

Manchester United and Tottenham have reportedly held conversations with Koch’s representation about a summer move, while Newcastle, Brentford, and Nottingham Forest have held ‘exploratory’ talks.

Last season, the 6’4′′ defender made 36 Premier League appearances for Leeds, usually in central defense but also in defensive midfield.

Sam Allardyce mentioned Robin Koch as one of three players that particularly impressed him during his brief tenure as Leeds manager, and it appears that other managers have seen what Big Sam has.

I always find it difficult to rate a defender in a relegated side since they certainly can’t have had the best of seasons and they don’t frequently have goals and assists stats to indicate that they’re better than the squad around them.

Even comparing them to players in the same position in Europe’s top five leagues on FBref does not present a positive image. Robin Koch’s aerial duel stats are the only ones that imply he’d be anything more than a mediocre player.

If Eddie Howe sees something in Robin Koch, who are we to argue?

Jesse Marsch, his former employer, praised Koch as “incredible,” but that was Jesse Marsch, so I take it with a grain of salt.

I do a podcast with a Leeds United fan, and I asked him about Koch, and while I can’t post it here, let’s just say I won’t be too angry if Man United or Tottenham grab this one.

All of that being said, if Eddie Howe truly believes he is good enough, I believe he is. Howe knows a lot more than I do, and we’ve all seen what he can do with mediocrity, so I’m not going to complain if this one happens.