Newcastle rival Liverpool for Virgil van Dijk replacement

Tom Weber

• Updated: 12 Feb 2024 14:40 GMT
• 3 min read

Newcastle are ready to challenge Liverpool for Lloyd Kelly, according to a report.

The Bournemouth man is out of contract this year and this has made him one of the most in-demand Premier League players since the previous summer. Tottenham were at one point heavily linked but they splashed the cash on Radu Dragusin in January and this association has since dissipated.

Ange Postecoglou and company aren't the only ones credited with a long-standing interest in the 25-year-old, however. Liverpool have also continuously been linked with Kelly since 2023, while the likes of AC Milan and Bundesliga surprise package Stuttgart have emerged as a possible destination for him in recent times, too.

A left-sided centre-back, Kelly could be a long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement at Anfield. But if Liverpool really were to want to pursue a deal, they would have to fight off stiff Premier League competition.

Newcastle join the race

That's because, according to the Daily Mail, Newcastle have now also joined the race to sign the Cherries star. What could potentially work in their favour is the fact that head coach Eddie Howe was the man who brought Kelly to Bournemouth.

Due to their lavish spending since the Saudi takeover, Newcastle have been somewhat hamstrung by Financial Fair Play regulations, which meant that they were unable to do any significant business in January. While the situation could be different in the summer, they would nevertheless be well-advised to look for cheap options.

Kelly would be an ideal candidate given that he will be available for nothing. Indeed, he's not the only Bournemouth player being eyed by Newcastle. The above-mentioned report asserts that midfielder Philip Billing is also on Howe's shortlist and he could be available for around €17.5 million.