Eddie Howe has commented on speculation linking Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger with a summer transfer to Newcastle United.
Rudiger, who is valued at £31.5 million by Transfermarkt, is set to become a free agent once the 2021-22 campaign draws to a close and while there remains a chance of him staying at Stamford Bridge, a number of clubs are also interested.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have all been reported to have talked with the player over a summer move as the 29-year-old seeks out a pay-rise.
Now Newcastle have entered the fray with a summer transfer spending spree under their new Saudi Arabian ownership now looking likely.
The report came from The Telegraph on Tuesday afternoon who say the Magpies will be on the hunt for another centre-back having failed in their January pursuits of Sven Botman and Diego Carlos.
Bruno Guimaraes, Kieren Trippier, Chris Wood and Dan Burn were all signed by Howe in the winter transfer window but Rudiger would be a serious statement of intent from the new owners at St. James's Park.
On Wednesday, the question was put to Howe ahead of Newcastle's clash with Southampton.
"I don't think it's the time to start commenting about other teams, other players," Howe said of Newcastle's reported interest in Rudiger.
"I have not given recruitment one ounce of my energy, or squad planning, because we are focused on the games."
Thomas Tuchel also held his press conference on Wednesday and was asked whether the uncertainty surrounding the club with Roman Abramovich's intention to sell have affected negotiations with those players nearly out of contract such as Rudiger.
“Actually I cannot answer. I don’t know. Does it have an effect on the players? Maybe. You'd have to ask the players. On the club, I don’t know," he said.
"I think we are capable, I hope we are capable. Right now, it is still March… We have some time. Of course, there are some situations we want to have solved. We couldn’t solve them. What reasons, whatever, it is not an ideal situation. On top of it, the players who are concerned do very, very well.
"Credit to the players. It shows the mentality here in the club and in the building that this is also normal for them to deliver despite their personal contractual situation. This is what we rely on. Of course, hopefully, we will have the chance to stay in talks and solve the things how we want them to solve for us.”
