Summary Newcastle have drawn up a centre-back shortlist that includes the impressive Edmond Tapsoba. However, Eddie Howe could bring in a 'crazy' £24m alternative instead. He's one of the most underrated defenders in European football.

Newcastle United's season kicked off with fireworks at St. James' Park on Saturday, with Eddie Howe's side decimating Aston Villa 5-1.

The tremendous victory reaffirmed the Magpies' strength as a new European force and paid homage to the efforts of technical director Dan Ashworth on the transfer front, with summer signings Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes both on the scoresheet.

The different facets have come together like a dovetail joint, but Howe has stated that he would love one more signing this month, and with the central defence untouched, the likes of Odilon Kossounou could join the fold.

Is Odilon Kossounou joining Newcastle?

According to the Daily Mail's Craig Hope, Kossounou is part of a six-man strong shortlist as the Magpies work out the feasibility of completing a swoop for a centre-back.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

It's claimed that United need to be 'creative' due to Financial Fair Play regulations, and with Kossounou reportedly only valued at £24m – with Crystal Palace also in pursuit – Howe could complete his squad.

What is Odilon Kossounou's style of play?

It is a testament to Newcastle's superlative recruitment strategy that the final few weeks of the summer window are nigh and any further additions are almost a luxury.

This is not to say that the Tyneside club have spent extravagantly, far from it; Newcastle have worked diligently to sign the right players in the right positions, and the result against Villa is evidence that fruitful fortunes lie ahead.

It is true that the central defence has not been bolstered, but Howe's side concluded the 2022/23 campaign with the Premier League's joint-best defence – alongside champions Manchester City.

However, Fabian Schar has entered the final year of his contract and outside of the Swiss and his imperious partner Sven Botman, the pickings are sparse – Jamal Lascelles is a peripheral figure and Dan Burn spends the lion's share of his time playing as a makeshift left-back, albeit to great effect.

Leverkusen's Kossounou, aged 22, would enter the fold and likely provide cover for the established duo and be nurtured to a more prominent role over the next 12 months, possibly viewed as an heir to Schar's position for the club if the 31-year-old does indeed leave next June.

Last season, the Ivorian colossus won 64% of his aerial battles in the German Bundesliga, which bodes well considering Botman won 66% and Schar succeeded with 67% of his aerial duels in the Premier League last term.

Given that Newcastle are also pursuing Kossounou's Leverkusen teammate Edmond Tapsoba this summer, who is valued at €45m (£39m) amid rival interest from Tottenham Hotspur, it's clear that Newcastle are targeting a particular profile.

As per FBref, Tapsoba ranks among the top 15% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 75% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Kossounou, comparatively, ranks among the top 15% of positional peers for progressive passes, the top 17% for shot-creating actions and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, which underscores Leverkusen's ball-playing philosophy, starting from the back and playing balls through the thirds to in a constant flow.

For this season, the young defender could be a tailor-made fit for the Magpies' flourishing system, and the ideal heir for Schar, having been lauded for possessing a "crazy amount of talent" by scout Jacek Kulig.

Tapsoba might appear to be the more attractive option on surface level, but Kossounou is a burgeoning ace and he is making strides season upon season, and perhaps he would be best placed spending a season playing second fiddle to Newcastle's defensive duo, all the while preparing to clasp the baton and cement a regular starting berth for the Toon.