Newcastle United Are In Pole Position To Land This English Defender: What Will He Bring To Tyneside?

In a recent report, The Sun stated that Newcastle United are in pole position to land Burnley defender James Tarkowski. It is believed that the Magpies are hoping to bolster their defence by recruiting the English centre-half during this winter transfer window.

Tarkowski’s Campaign Of Mixed Emotions At Turf Moor

Tarkowski has experienced a long and grueling season with the Clarets but has continued to prove himself as a dominant force at the heart of Sean Dyche’s defence. The 29-year-old has made 18 appearances for the Lancashire club during this campaign, registering one goal and two assists in all competitions.

The Manchester-born sensation has been a rock at the back for Burnley as he is averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 5.1 clearances per game in Premier League football. He has often gone long when passing the ball from inside his half which explains why he has only completed 69.3% of his attempted passes in the top tier of English football (stats via whoscored).

What Will Tarkowski Bring To Newcastle United?

Tarkowski can use his powerful 1.85m frame to win his fair share of 50-50 aerial duels by outmuscling the opposition attackers in the air. He is a potent threat in the air from indirect set-pieces and can chip in by scoring the odd goal from time to time.

The English powerhouse is a solid tackler of the ball and can scan the danger quickly to earn the ball back for his team on the defensive end of the field. However, Tarkowski needs to improve his passing if he wants to be a success story at St. James’ Park in the long run.

Currently, Tarkowski seems to have all the skillset needed to help Newcastle get out of relegation danger if Eddie Howe can find a way to get him on board before the end of this month. At 29, he has still got a handful of years left in him to play at his best.

We can expect Tarkowski to add a lot of bite and steel to Howe’s defensive department. Furthermore, he has got the experience to strike up a dominant defensive partnership with Jamaal Lascelles at the Tyneside club in the coming seasons.