Newcastle United eye £20m-rated Celtic star as Eddie Howe adds Hoops ace to transfer targets

Newcastle United have added a Celtic player to their transfer targets after scouting the Hoops this season.

Eddie Howe, now Newcastle’s head coach, remains a “what if” figure at Celtic Park.

In 2021, he was in advanced talks to become Celtic manager, but negotiations fell through, paving the way for Ange Postecoglou, who went on to win five out of six domestic trophies.

According to the Chronicle, Howe has continued to track Celtic, with Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn reportedly making Newcastle’s transfer shortlist.

The report states that the Premier League club “are believed to have evaluated Celtic’s right-wing star Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn.”

However, the article notes that Kuhn is not Newcastle’s top choice for a new winger but has caught attention north of the border.

The club is expanding its scouting network in Scotland and has sent senior scouts to observe Celtic, with Kuhn standing out during their assessments.

Kuhn currently carries a reported £20 million valuation. Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has several winger options, including Kuhn, Daizen Maeda, Yang, Luis Palma, and James Forrest.

The club is also exploring new signings in that position, with Aston Villa’s Louie Barry among the potential targets.

Rodgers previously praised Kuhn’s development, saying: “Nicolas is a player who’s improving, and there’s still more room for growth.

From where he started to where he is now, he’s been a consistent performer, and I’m really pleased with that.”

Newcastle’s interest highlights their efforts to strengthen their squad and expand their talent pool by scouting top performers from Scotland.