Manchester United and Arsenal are closely monitoring Newcastle United winger Bazoumana Touré ahead of a possible move, according to TEAMtalk.
Described as a ‘quick, technically strong and dangerous attacking player’ by Hoffenheim director Andreas Schicker, Touré arrived at Newcastle with a lot of promise at the back of an outstanding individual campaign in Germany, where he provided 17 goal contributions.
Despite accumulating just 160 minutes of football, the 20-year-old has already found the net twice in six appearances across all competitions this season.
After four cameo appearances, his first Premier League goal came during a 4-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road in September. He previously marked his first start for the club with a goal in the 3-2 Carabao Cup win over West Bromwich Albion in August and has continued to impress whenever called upon.
Despite being in England for less than three months, TEAMtalk reports that several clubs, including Man Utd and Arsenal, are keeping close tabs on Touré.
The report adds that both clubs tracked the 20-year-old at Hoffenheim and are still monitoring his progress at ST. James Park.
Battle
For United, TEAMtalk claims Touré fits their recruitment strategy of young, high-potential prospects, while Arsenal are assessing options for their attack after failing to land Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid in the summer.
While neither club have made a formal move to sign the attacker, both clubs are set to face competition in the race for the winger, as the report adds that Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are also keeping tabs on him.
However, after paying a significant fee, Newcastle see Touré as vital to their future, according to the report, so either club will need to submit a tempting offer above his £42m Transfermarkt valuation.
While Touré hasn’t been at his explosive best, the Ivorian has largely featured on the right wing this season, understandably so after Harvey Barnes’ strong start.
Last campaign, he played predominantly on the left wing, and his stats suggest he is more adept there. His creativity from the left is evident in his 12 assists, while his 763 sprints were the highest in the Bundesliga.
Both Arsenal and Man Utd could use Touré’s qualities on the left wing, but with Newcastle adamant about retaining him, it’ll be interesting to see how the transfer plays out in the coming months.
