Newcastle chasing deal for Barcelona defender - report

Newcastle United have reportedly reignited interest in Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen as they seek to bring in a new centre-back before the summer transfer window closes.

The Magpies have seen four bids rejected for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, the last of which was worth £60m plus £5m in add-ons, leaving manager Eddie Howe unsure whether a deal will be struck for the England international.

Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah has been touted as a potential alternative target and, according to Mundo Deportivo, Christensen has been identified as another option.

Newcastle were interested in Christensen earlier this summer but decided to look elsewhere because they did not believe a deal would be possible. Yet the sight of the Denmark international on the bench for Barcelona's La Liga opener against Valencia has piqued their interest once again.

New manager Hansi Flick favoured Inigo Martinez alongside Pau Cubarsi at the back and even opted for the young duo of Marc Bernal and Marc Casado at the base of midfield, despite reports suggesting the 28-year-old's future under Flick may be further up the pitch.

Christensen's snub came at time when a lot of his competitors for minutes are sidelined with injury, Barcelona have Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong and Gavi to welcome back eventually, which raises questions about Christensen's future in the team.

Having joined on a free transfer from Chelsea two years ago, Christensen's sale would generate pure profit for cash-strapped Barcelona, who would also benefit from removing his salary from the books.

Whether Christensen is looking to leave or even interested in a move to Newcastle, however, is unclear.

The transfer window in both the Premier League and La Liga closes on August 30.

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