Report: Newcastle now want £35m defender from Barcelona dubbed the Danish Maldini

Newcastle United are once again looking at Andreas Christensen as an option to add to their defence.

The report comes from SPORT and suggests that Newcastle are casting their eye on the 27-year-old dubbed the 'Danish Maldini'.

Christensen arrived at Barcelona in 2022 on a free transfer after his contract at Chelsea expired and it didn't take him long to become a favourite of Barca boss, Xavi.

Christensen has become a regular fixture of Xavi's Barcelona

He became Xavi's most trusted defender last season, but has found himself in and out of the team more often this season as Xavi has changed up Barca's style of play.

FIFA via Getty Images

Newcastle were looking at Christensen earlier this year as a potential summer transfer option but after the season he had at the Catalan giants it was very unlikely that any deal could be made.

That still remains the case according to SPORT who say that neither the player or the club want the move for the player who is valued at £35million.

Eddie Howe should focus on more realistic targets

Eddie Howe definitely needs to be thinking about defensive reinforcements but it sounds like he may well be wasting his time chasing Christensen and would be best of focusing his efforts elsewhere.

We have been linked with plenty of top defenders who would be easier to liberate from their current club such as Jean-Clair Todibo and Edmund Tapsoba.

There's still plenty of time for Howe to draw up his shopping list, but it feels like he's chasing shadows when it comes to Christensen.