Newcastle United tried and failed to sign Mitchel Bakker in January 2022, and their interest in him could be reignited more than a year later.
According to 90min in Germany, Newcastle is interested in bringing Bakker and his Bayer Leverkusen teammate Moussa Diaby to St James’ Park.
Diaby has been linked with a move to Newcastle since last summer when he was one of Eddie Howe’s primary targets. However, he proved to be too costly.
With a new left-back on the horizon for this summer, news of Bakker’s return to the Magpies’ radar is certainly intriguing. Kieran Tierney appears to be the primary target, though Renan Lodi has also been mentioned.
Bakker has resurfaced as an option, and he was a player Newcastle came close to signing during the first transfer window following the takeover.
Newcastle came close to signing Mitchel Bakker in January 2022.
Newcastle’s January 2022 transfer window was chaotic. It was the first since PIF took over the club from Mike Ashley, with Amanda Staveley and her team scrambling to sign reinforcements ahead of the relegation battle.
Left-back was identified as a position for improvement, with the club in talks with Bakker about a move from Leverkusen to Newcastle.
The Telegraph reported in the final week of the transfer window that the Magpies would hold contract talks with the left-back, having already made a bid to sign him.
According to the Daily Mail, Bakker is interested in moving to England, with Newcastle offering a £14.5 million deal.
However, negotiations appeared to fall through, and Newcastle instead hired Matt Targett. He joined on loan from Aston Villa before becoming a full-time Geordie the following summer.
The club is now looking for a replacement for Targett, and Bakker is among the candidates. If he does arrive and impresses in black and white, it will be questioned why they didn’t just get him last year.
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