The £18m bargain signing who could make Newcastle’s defence rock solid – unless Crystal Palace sign him first
Newcastle are among the teams linked with a talented Dutch defender who could fix their depth issue - but will they win the transfer race?
From a purely statistical point of view, Newcastle United’s defence has performed extremely well this year – only Arsenal have allowed their opponents fewer expected goals in the Premier League so far this season. From a practical standpoint, however, Newcastle also definitely need to strengthen their defence this January if they want to be back in the European places.
Quality at the back hasn’t been a problem, but fitness and depth has. Most of their regular back four have missed significant periods of time already and recent injuries have left them close to the bare bones. All of which may explain why recent reports suggest that they’re keen on Ajax centre-back Youri Baas – but is the Dutchman worth the £17.5m he’s reportedly valued at, and will Newcastle be able to sign him with Crystal Palace also allegedly in the race?
Why Newcastle & Crystal Palace could be keen on signing Youri Baas
The 22-year-old Baas broke into the Ajax starting line-up last season off the back of an impressive loan spell at NEC Nijmegen – he is now a regular there and earned his first call-up to the senior national team in March, although he has yet to make his debut in the famous orange jersey.
He certainly looks the part from the very first glance. Tall and powerful, he cuts the figure of a classic centre-half and backs it up in one-on-one situations, using his strength and natural leverage to bully opposing attackers effectively in fifty-fifty situations – although he’s less impactful in the air than one might expect, and wins less than half of his aerial duels. Were his no more than a traditional defensive powerhouse, that would be a significant drawback.
Happily, however, Baas’ game is more well-rounded than that – he’s an impressive technician with good close control and the confidence to carry the ball out of defence, is highly press-resistant and, perhaps most importantly of all, a superb passer.
Both accurate and adventurous with the ball, his highlight reel is filled with examples of pinpoint through balls splitting defences open from deep positions. He has the poise and range of a midfield playmaker, combined with the defensive mettle to effective as a centre-half.
He’s also quick off the mark, perhaps surprisingly so given his frame, and that helps to cover occasional lapses in his positioning, the other key part of his game which requires work. The other thing his highlights often show is a defender racing back to make well-timed last-ditch tackles, but more experience centre-backs would perhaps avoid getting into such difficult spots in the first place.
For all that Baas needs a little more development in some areas, he’s still precisely the kind of confident, powerful ball-playing defender that teams like Newcastle want, and has plenty of time to sand off his remaining rough edges. With the right coaching, he could easily become precisely what Eddie Howe needs – but will Newcastle win the race to sign him?
Will Newcastle sign Baas in 2026 – or will another team get there first?
The story suggesting that Newcastle are keen on striking a deal for Baas originates with gossip website TeamTalk, and while it has been repeated by several other outlets since it has not as yet been truly corroborated. In short, there is plenty of room to doubt the story’s validity.
If it is true, however, then Newcastle are up against Crystal Palace – who see Baas as a potential replacement for the outgoing Marc Guéhi – and Nottingham Forest, while Ajax would demand a fee of at least €20m (£17.5m) to make a deal possible.
That isn’t a fee which would put Premier League teams off, of course, and could easily prove to be a bargain if he continues his current rate of development and his performance levels in the Eredivisie. Ajax have Baas under contract until 2028, but that suggests that if he is looking to take a step forward in his career then he could easily be available next summer.
It is perhaps more likely that a summer transfer deal takes place than a January move, but Newcastle’s recent injuries have highlighted the urgent need for reinforcements over the winter and they are likely to attempt to sign someone. If Baas is indeed on their shortlist, as TeamTalk’s report suggests, then they could well pay a little extra to get a deal done early, on a timetable which suits them and on which they may have an advantage as one of relatively few Premier League teams with the PSR headroom to make significant moves over the winter.
In short, the story is perfectly plausible but not yet backed up enough by reliable media outlets to be seen as a sure thing – but Baas ticks a lot of Howe’s boxes, may be relatively inexpensive, and has an exciting future ahead of him. Don’t be surprised if this story turns out to be true when the window opens next week.
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