Newcastle United are already searching long and hard for January signings to replace the suspended Sandro Tonali, and a surprising new name has now emerged as a target.
Sandro Tonali banned for ten months
The Magpies may have made another good start to this season, impressing in both the Premier League and the Champions League, but it's fair to say that they have not enjoyed a good week on and off the pitch.
Eddie Howe's side were beaten 1-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund in Europe in midweek, hampering their chances of reaching the knockout stages, but most significantly, Tonali's ban has been confirmed, with the Italian suspended from playing football for ten months after beaching betting rules.
It is a monumental blow for Newcastle, who snapped up the 23-year-old from AC Milan in the summer, seeing him as a top-quality signing who could help take the Magpies up another gear, and they will now have to face life without him until early next season.
It is no surprise that the search is now on for the club to bring in a tailor-made replacement for Tonali in the January transfer window, in order to fill the void that he has left, and not allow Newcastle to suffer too much without him around.
Newcastle eye former Man Utd star to replace Tonali
According to a new report from Fotomac [via Sport Witness], Fenerbahce midfielder Fred is of interest to Newcastle. The former Manchester United player is considered a "surprise suitor" by the club, and they are considering tabling an offer for his services once January arrives. It is believed that the player is valued at €20m (£17m) by his current club after signing for around £13m in the summer.
This could be a transfer update that divides opinion among the Newcastle fanbase, with Fred someone who wasn't exactly rated highly during his time at United.
The Brazilian spent five years there, and was often seen as someone who wasn't good enough to turn United's midfield into an elite one, which is why he was ultimately moved on during the summer.
That being said, Fred's statistics and achievements show that he is still a player who had enjoyed a stellar career, with 32 caps coming his way for Brazil, which is no mean feat, considering the competition for places in arguably world football's most famous international team.
Former United boss Ralf Rangnick hailed the veteran midfielder in the past, clearly valuing his influence greatly and saying of him: "For me, he is an extremely valuable player, a team player in the true sense, a player who puts in every effort that he has and would give his last drop of blood for the team. He’s also a player who can score goals and has those surprising elements in his game, little flick-ons, and he can be a technical player too."
At 30, Fred wouldn't be seen as a long-term signing by Newcastle, but a loan deal until the end of the season, or a short-term permanent move until 2025 or 2026, could make sense, given the Premier League experience he has and the depth he would provide.