Newcastle offered chance to sign Tino Livramento’s replacement for free in Souffian El Karouani

Newcastle United should be among the clubs set to try their hand at convincing Souffian El Karouani to sign on a free transfer this summer.

The 25-year-old is set to leave Utrecht when his contract expires, which has caught the eyes of clubs across Europe amid a superb season in the Eredivisie.

Newcastle could be among them, with movement expected in the full-back areas at St James’ Park this summer.

Kieran Trippier has announced his departure at the end of his own contract, and Tino Livramento is attracting significant interest elsewhere.

Newcastle transfer chiefs will be on the lookout for market opportunities, with El Karouani representing a terrific one.

Newcastle United must act to jump Souffian El Karouani queue

El Karouani admitted talks with West Ham in December, with a potential January move to the London club mooted.

A bid never materialised, however, and the door has been left open for other teams to compete for the defender’s signature this summer.

The Morocco international has provided 16 assists across all competitions this season, in addition to three goals.

A forward-thinking left-back, El Karouani would be different to the likes of Trippier and Livramento.

He would not be able to totally replace both players, either, considering that his position of strength is on the left, while both departing players chiefly play on the right.

The 25-year-old would perform the role of backing up Lewis Hall as Livramento currently does, however, and he would provide something different, even potentially allowing Hall to slip into midfield.

Newcastle need to be smart this summer

Newcastle’s financial restrictions this summer are no secret. Failure to qualify for European football will leave the Magpies needing to sell one or two key players.

And after such a disappointing season, it is clear that new arrivals will be required to ensure a recovery in the next campaign.

For that, transfer chiefs at St James’ Park will have to be clever, choosing their targets carefully and with a tight budget in mind.

El Karouani is the perfect solution to their issues at left-back, with the 25-year-old both cheap and ready to make an impact.

Competition will be fierce, but Newcastle may well have to get used to that over the coming months.

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