Forget Targett: NUFC can get SJP rocking with swoop for "frightening" £22.5m-rated gem - opinion

An update has emerged on Oleksandr Zinchenko amid interest from Newcastle United heading into the summer transfer window.

According to The Athletic, the Magpies and Everton have both been touted as possible destinations for the Manchester City full-back ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that his future at the Etihad Stadium is up in the air this summer, although there is no mention of how much money it would take to snap him up from the Premier League champions.

The player is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt.

Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth must forget Targett after his loan spell on Tyneside and instead secure a deal for the Ukraine international.

They can get St James’ Park rocking with excitement by striking a move for the City defender, who is a proven, top-quality Premier League performer who knows exactly what it takes to win trophies.

He has won four league titles since joining the Cityzens in 2017 and racked up 128 appearances for the club in that time, scoring two goals and providing 12 assists.

Pep Guardiola previously heaped praise on the full-back’s understanding of the game, saying: “He knows how to play football. He’s playing at a good level, his consistency especially and he is always tactically smart and defensively, he is so, so smart he doesn’t make mistakes. He knows what he has to do to help the central defenders.”

The City manager added: “For our build up he is fundamental in the way we play. He understands the game perfectly.”

These comments show that the 25-year-old would surely be able to adapt to Howe’s tactical setups, and his ability in the build-up will be crucial in developing an attacking style of play.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Zinchenko averaged a SofaScore rating of