Newcastle United have enquired about signing Denzel Dumfries to provide competition for Kieran Trippier with a spot in next season's Champions League now almost certain.
While the Tyneside outfit has been an example to follow for other Champions League hopefuls, careful recruitment is required to ensure they can maintain their upward trajectory. For this, Eddie Howe needs to emulate the smart recruitment that has allowed the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City to compete consistently in multiple competitions in recent years.
It's no secret that Newcastle's owners have the money to spend big but identifying bargain buys will allow them to be far more sustainable in the long term. This is especially important when recruiting players for squad roles.
Newcastle make "enquiry" over Denzel Dumfries
Perhaps one of the most eye-catching fullbacks outside the Premier League is Inter Milan's Dumfries. On Wednesday, Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, claimed that Newcastle have enquired over his availability this summer.
While Dumfries is no doubt an exciting prospect, he hasn't always been the consistent performer Inter were hoping for when they signed him. That said, his talent is not in doubt.
Inter however face severe financial constraints and reportedly need to balance their books with €100m (£87m) worth of player sales this summer – Dumfries will reportedly be allowed to leave for a fee in the region of €30m (£26m).
Dumfries, Andre Onana and Marcelo Brozovic are three players the Serie A outfit could shift to bring in the revenue required, and selling the Dutch fullback to a Premier League club where they could maximise their income would be a smart move.
What would Dumfries' role be for Eddie Howe?
With members of the media referring to Dumfries as a "monster" in defence, he certainly sounds like the ideal player to come in and compete with Trippier.
This season, Trippier has been hailed from all over England with his maturity and consistent quality providing a platform upon which Newcastle's attackers have thrived.
Despite playing in the more competitive league, Trippier has assisted more goals (9) than Dumfries (6), although that will not likely be a major consideration for Newcastle's recruitment team.
Given that Dumfries would reportedly only cost £26m, he'd make an excellent squad option especially given Howe's tendency to play with wing backs against certain opponents. In a traditional setup, Dumfries could be exposed, but in a system featuring three centre backs and two wing backs, he excels. This has been showcased both at international level with Holland but also at PSV and Inter.
