Why Newcastle could be about to pull off real coup with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg deal

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be set to make a return to the Premier League as Newcastle line up a move for his services.

New Magpies manager Matthias Jaissle has a tough job on his hands in the final weeks of the window to get his squad in the best condition for the upcoming season.

The German boss will be identifying some top targets that he wants to improve his depth, with reports claiming that Hojbjerg is a player of interest to Newcastle as it stands.

Hojbjerg is valued at £15million, with Newcastle considering a move to add experience to their squad in the wake of Bruno Guimaraes' exit.

He currently plies his trade for Marseille, but spent eight years playing in the Premier League between 2016 and 2024 for Southampton and Tottenham.

Hojbjerg often went under the radar at both clubs, with some top showings in the league making him a strong candidate to improve the Magpies' midfield this summer.

Hojbjerg was an underrated player for Saints and Spurs

Hojbjerg joined Southampton from Bayern Munich in 2016 and became an instant regular as they continued to make advances on the top-flight's elite clubs.

His best showing for the club in the Premier League came in a 2-1 win over Norwich in December 2019, as he made three key passes, 10 defensive contributions, 21 recoveries and won 11 ground duels.

Spurs forked out an initial fee of £15m for his services at the end of that season, and he went on to play 145 times for the club in the top flight over the next four campaigns.

Hojbjerg produced one of the best performances of his career against Wolves in May 2021, with a goal and an assist in a 2-0 home win.

The Dane's delightful through ball saw Harry Kane go on to bag, while his 62nd-minute strike settled the score, as he also had a 94 per cent pass accuracy, seven defensive contributions and nine recoveries.

Another fine showing came later that year in a 3-2 win over Newcastle, with another assist for Kane as they went 2-1 up in the first half.

Hojbjerg had 96 per cent pass accuracy, while he made 10 defensive contributions, 11 recoveries, and won 11 ground duels.

What has Hojbjerg's agent said about a possible move to Newcastle?

Jaissle is clearly looking to sign at least one new midfielder, with sources revealing to Football Insider that Newcastle are plotting another bid for Spurs' Lucas Bergvall.

31-year-old Hojbjerg registered 10 goal contributions in 43 appearances for Marseille last season, so clearly remains at the top of his game and could be a shrewd signing for the Magpies.

His agent, Luca Puccinelli, has refused to rule out a move away from the Ligue 1 club by saying: “Pierre is a proud Olympique de Marseille player, he is working hard and staying focused everyday. About the future? We will see,"