Newcastle backed out of deal for €61m Bundesliga ace

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 3 Feb 2023 09:39 CST
• 3 min read

Newcastle were keen on signing Moussa Diaby during the January window but backed out when they discovered they would not be able to buy him until the summer.

Transfer reporter Christian Falk wrote in his CaughtOffside column that the Magpies, who were linked to the Frenchman before the season started, had their eye on the Bayer Leverkusen winger, but ultimately did not make their move.

Falk also suggested that Mohammed bin Salman utilised his own personal scouting network to support the search for new additions.

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“I heard Newcastle said that he’s a good option for the club, so they passed their shortlist on to the Sheikh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has his own scout in Germany,” Falk wrote.

“He had to check if Diaby was a possibility they could explore. Ultimately, they saw that it wouldn’t be an option for the winter, so they went for Anthony Gordon. In summer, however, Diaby could be easier to sign.”

Newcastle brought in Anthony Gordon to the side in what was a €50m move from Everton, taking up that right-wing, so any summer move for Diaby now looks unlikely, especially given the form of Miguel Almrion.

Newcastle also brought in Harrison Ashby from West Ham, to take a spot to fill in for Kieran Trippier and eventually take over from him.

Newcastle window 'not perfect'

But Eddie Howe admitted that the window was far from perfect for the club. He said in a press conference: “I don’t think this window has been perfect for us.‘Losing Jonjo [Shelvey] has been a concern for us. We have had a lot of discussions internally. We were active in the market but we didn’t manage to get a midfielder over the line.

“In some senses, that gives opportunities to other players. We really believe in Elliot Anderson and this could be a moment in his career where we see the very best of him. A local lad who gets a chance in the team. There are others who can play in that position.”