An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of a defensive reinforcement ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…
What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?
According to The Guardian, the Magpies are set to sign Southampton right-back Tino Livramento during the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Saints are 'close' to selling the former Chelsea academy prospect to Eddie Howe's side, as they are currently struggling to hold on to their top talents following relegation to the Championship.
It states that the fee will be within the region of £30m, although it does not explain how much of that consists of add-ons or future instalments.
The Northern Echo have backed up this claim by stating that a fee is close to being fully agreed upon and that the young defender is poised to arrive at St. James' Park after the £38m deal for Harvey Barnes from Leicester.
How good is Tino Livramento?
A knee injury kept the 20-year-old ace out for 43 competitive matches between April 2022 and April 2023, which means that it is difficult to gauge where he is at from a performance perspective.
However, his prior form for Southampton in the Premier League and for Chelsea's academy suggests that there is a talented player to be unearthed, who would be perfect for Miguel Almiron at his best.
Livramento started 25 games as a teenager for the Saints during the 2021/22 top-flight campaign and showcased his defensive quality with 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match. Whereas, no Newcastle full-back managed more than three per game last season.
The England U21 international could, therefore, be an excellent defender for Howe due to his ability to cut out opposition attacks on a regular basis at Premier League level.
It could be difficult for teams to break Newcastle down on that flank as no Magpies attacker managed more tackles (1.4) or interceptions (0.3) per outing than Almiron last term, which shows that the ex-MLS star works his socks off for the team.
However, it is Livramento's attacking potential that could make him the perfect partner for the Paraguay internation on the right wing.
The exciting Croydon-born youngster racked up 10 assists – more than any Toon player managed last term – in 26 appearances for Chelsea's academy during the 2020/21 season, which came after he produced four assists in six FA Youth Cup games the previous campaign.
These statistics suggest that Livramento – like talismanic Kieran Trippier, who led the club with seven Premier League assists, has the quality to bomb on from right-back to provide a threat on the overlap.
If Howe can help the English dynamo to translate his creative ability over to senior football then he could worry opposition defenders with his runs forward.
This could then make him the perfect foil for Almiron as the left-footed marksman, who was Newcastle's second-top league scorer with 11 goals last season, would be able to use Livramento's presence to cut inside onto his favoured foot.
Having a right-back with a big attacking threat would force the other team's left-back with a difficult choice to make. Unless their teammates help them out, they would either need to leave the current Saints gem in acres of space or allow Almiron to drift infield to unleash a shot with his left foot.
Therefore, signing Livramento, who has been dubbed a "future star" by ex-teammate Theo Walcott, could provide Howe with a dream pairing on the right flank from a defensive and attacking perspective.