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Newcastle interested in Crystal Palace defender Riedewald

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Newcastle United are in the hunt to sign Dutch enforcer Jairo Riedewald from Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, according to the Times.

The newspaper claims online that Riedewald, 21, has recently rejected a move to Swansea as he does not wish to play in the Championship, and now Newcastle appear as though they are plotting a last-gasp move for the three-times Netherlands international.

Riedewald spent most of last season playing as a central or defensive midfielder for Palace, who signed him from Ajax last summer on a deal worth £55,000-a-week (Spotrac).

Good move for Newcastle?

Riedewald is an extremely versatile player. He was mainly a left-back or centre-back with Ajax but moved to Crystal Palace and was deployed mainly as a midfield player by Roy Hodgson in his fleeting first team appearances.

Last term, the Dutchman played just 15 times across all competitions for the Eagles, featuring mainly as an unused substitute.

Rafa Benitez could do with a player like the Riedewald though as he needs more depth at left-back and the injury to Florian Lejeune leaves him down a centre-back.

While Riedewald has mainly been used as a midfielder in England, he could be a fairly decent back-up option in the two areas that Newcastle need to bolster before the deadline passes on Thursday afternoon.

This is Futbol rating 7/10

Likely to happen?

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has not exactly backed Benitez in the transfer window again this summer and it took him months to finally sign a centre-forward when Salomon Rondon arrived from West Brom on loan on Monday.

They will have to be on the ball to get Riedewald though as the deadline is now just over 48 hours away.

Can a deal be struck? Knowing Newcastle, probably not, but Palace will more than likely want to get the fringe player of their wagebill for the upcoming Premier League season.

This is Futbol rating 5/10

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