Newcastle ‘pushing’ for signing in last few hours – Magpies need to rush as rival making firm efforts

Two months back, we reported on claims originating from Germany that Newcastle United have a strong interest in Assan Ouédraogo.

On the 2nd of May, Fussball News mentioned that the Magpies had dispatched a scout to closely observe the Schalke player.

Recently, Sky Deutschland revealed that Eddie Howe’s team had reached out to initiate talks for signing him during the upcoming transfer window. The report mentioned that the agreement could require Newcastle to pay approximately £12m.

Newcastle, along with other clubs, are actively vying to secure a deal for the 18-year-old within the final hours, as per Sky journalist Florian Plettenberg. Plettenberg shared the news on X, previously known as Twitter, revealing that the player has opted to join RB Leipzig instead.

Plettenberg indicated that RB Leipzig is finalizing the remaining details of the transfer with Schalke and Ouédraogo. Should the deal go through, he is expected to sign an agreement until 2029.

Despite efforts from Newcastle, Chelsea, Eintracht Frankfurt, and other teams to outmaneuver Leipzig in the closing stages, it seems unlikely they will succeed unless there are unexpected developments, as Plettenberg mentioned that Leipzig is on the brink of sealing the transfer by activating his €10m release clause.

Ouédraogo has accumulated 17 appearances for Schalke since his debut for the first team last year.