Newcastle United have already signed four new players ahead of the 2017-18 Premier League season, and now have their eyes on Manchester City central midfielder Fabian Delph as their fifth.
Newcastle United returned to the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. The club are attempting to strength their side and to prevent a quick return to the second division.
Manager Rafa Benitez is looking for another solid midfield player and he has identified Delph as one of his main targets. The 27-year-old is under contract with Manchester City until 2020, but since his arrival in the summer of 2015 for just under £10 million from Aston Villa, Delph has had difficulty holding done a regular spot in the team.
The Magpies are not the only team after the midfielder as both West Brom and Stoke City have expressed their interests in Delph. Although Benitez wants to add Delph to his midfield, reports out of Newcastle indicate the club could have difficulty in paying the transfer fee and the midfielder’s wages. According to TransferMarkt, Delph’s current market value is just under £7m. In 2017, Delph made £90,000-a-week for a yearly total of £4.68m.
Fabian Delph 2017-18 key stats:
- 7 Premier League appearances, 2 as a starter
- 1 goal in 220 minutes of Premier League play
- 1 yellow card in 7 Premier League matches
- 1 tackle per Premier League match