Newcastle fans will love how Kacper Potulski forced Poland manager into U-turn as summer move eyed

Newcastle United fans should be encouraged by their pursuit of Kacper Potulski after Jan Urban’s opinion of him changed in a matter of months.

Eddie Howe is aiming to strengthen his centre-back options this summer after a poor 2025-26 from a defensive standpoint.

Newcastle had the sixth-worst defence in the Premier League last term as Howe struggled to settle on a consistent back four.

Fabian Schar has been retained ahead of next season, but several top clubs remain interested in both Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw.

Newcastle are reportedly eyeing a move for Mainz starlet Potulski to bolster their defensive options, after he broke through into senior football last term.

The 18-year-old is highly-rated in Germany but has faced some doubts from Poland manager Urban since bursting onto the scene.

His thoughts have now clearly changed, however, and the Magpies should be encouraged by recent praise he heaped on the youngster.

Jan Urban did not rate Kacper Potulski but now sees a bright future for him

Potulski only made his senior debut for Mainz in a Conference League clash against Omonia Nicosia last October.

He quickly emerged as a regular at the back for the Bundesliga club, and ended the campaign with 23 appearances in all competitions as they finished 10th.

Poland manager Urban was urged to fast-track Potulski into his first-team set-up before the March international break, but shut down any talk of doing so in a pretty blunt response to fans' protests.

He said: "I think he looks normal. Nothing more. In the match against Sigma, he played correctly. He didn't make mistakes, but there was no wow. He plays in Mainz, has played eleven matches and is to be called up to the national team immediately? I'm very sorry, but we are poor. He didn't even play in the youth team - he added."

Sky Sports Germany recently reported that Newcastle are among Potulski's suitors as it stands, with Bayer Leverkusen also exploring a deal.

The 18-year-old's strong form towards the end of the season saw him called up to the senior Poland team by Urban last month.

He scored his first international goal against Nigeria last week and was handed some huge praise by the Poland manager, as he said: “I’ll put it this way, for the age he has, he showed a lot of experience and calm in a match like that.

"He’s going to be a proper player. He played a really good game, a really good match. And it’s not just about the goal he scored — it’s how he behaved with the ball, often under pressure. Great composure, great composure."

Which other centre-backs have Newcastle been linked to?

Potulski is clearly someone who could make a real impact at St James' Park if he joins the club soon, but is not the only centre-back that Howe is reportedly eyeing.

Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Oumar Solet is on Newcastle's radar as it stands after a strong season at Serie A side Udinese.

They have a long-standing interest in Brighton's Jan-Paul van Hecke, but look set to be beaten to his signature by Tottenham this summer.

Real Betis star Natan is another name linked to the Magpies in recent days, and Leeds United are also keen on a move for his services.